My Other Half
by Lotus Sword
Summary: According to Greek mythology, humans were originally created with four arms, four legs and two heads. Fearing their power, Zeus split them in half, condemning them to search for their other half for their entire life. Now, will you, lovely reader of this story, find your other half? ReaderxCharacter series. Rated T to be sure.
1. Shindou Takuto

**Me: Heeeeey! This is a CharacterxReader series where you get paired up with Inazuma characters, starting with Shindou.**

**Shindou: Ehm, hello?**

**Me: Great, you're right on time, Shindou-kun!^^ Anyways, this one is based on a video I saw on YouTube and if you don't like what happens, blame Kariya!**

**Kariya: Hey!**

**Me: I don't own Inazuma Eleven, enjoy!**

****[Edit]: Rewritten, no longer you-based. Many stories get deleted because of that, so this is a precaution. I will rewrite the others too when I have the time and I'll try to update soon!****

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><p><em><strong>Shindou Takuto ~ My greatest fear<strong>_

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><p>"What are you planning?" I asked while looking down on the teal haired boy. Soccer practice was still going on, but I was allowed to quit ten minutes earlier so I had a little more time to shower and change into my casual clothes. Endou-kantoku always made teasing remarks about women needed twice as long to get ready than men, so that's why I was allowed to leave earlier. I always rolled my eyes at that and didn't respond any further. It wasn't true, since I could change really fast, but I wasn't complaining about this.<p>

However, Kariya had followed me today and kept me from changing. When I said this to him and asked him to leave, he simply ignored me and challenged me to a bet. And a strange one at that.

"I'm not planning on anything, [l/n]-senpai." The cunning smirk was replaced by an innocent smile. Your inner alarm went off. That boy was definitely up to no good. "I just think that you can't do it, that's all."

"You think I can't keep my hand on the middle of the table for ten lousy minutes? Glad to hear that you think so high of me," was my sarcastic reply. Yes, that was Kariya's challenge: I wasn't allowed to remove my hand from the table for ten minutes.

"Then, prove me wrong, senpai," he said innocently. "If you win, I won't prank you anymore this year."

A little voice told me to ignore the bet. It had to be some kind of trick, it just had to be. There was no way he would make it that easy for me. I was one of his favourite, if not his number one favourite, victims, since I always got angry with him. I knew I should act like I didn't care, instead, but every time that little imp pranked me so mercilessly, something inside me just snapped... A year free of his pranks, free of constantly looking over my shoulder to see if he wasn't there really sounded tempting. What could be the catch?

Kariya's voice pulled me back to the land of the living. "But if I win, you tell me who your crush is."

"How did you-"

"I heard you and the managers talking about that a few days ago. I've been curious to whom it is ever since." He paused for a while and then continued. "So, what do you say, [l/n]-senpai? You think you can prove me wrong?"

I hesitated for another moment, still trying to figure out his real intentions. The bet was too easy to lose, so there wasn't a risk for me. But since it was so easy, something told me that he had something up his sleeve. But then I just shrugged it off and let my competative side take over.

"Alright," I smiled. "There's no way I can lose an easy bet like this!"

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><p>So I did as he told and placed my hand on the table as he sat down next to me and waited... and waited... and waited...<p>

I still didn't know what he hoped to gain from this, but to keep him from cheating, we had agreed that he wouldn't touch me. I wouldn't be surprised if he would have pulled my hand off the table to claim his victory, but that possibility was now sealed off. A minute passed like this... Two minutes... Three...

Kariya yawned and stretched his arms. "Uwaa, I'm gonna get something to drink, do you want some too, [l/n]-senpai?" I shook my head while a frown was still on my face. This was all so unlike Kariya! My kohai didn't seem bothered by my expression and reached for his bag. "And to make sure you won't get lonely when I'm gone..."

He took out a blue lunchbox and grabbed something out of it, placing it on the table while covering it with his hands. I broke a cold sweat when I got the feeling that something was wrong. As I saw his misschievous smirk, I knew what I had gotten myself into: deep trouble.

"...I brought you some company," he joyfully finished and he lifted up his hands, revealing the thing on the table. I gasped for air and almost backed away, but remembered just in time to keep my hand in place. I couldn't stop my arms from shaking vigorously, though. The reason for that was the table, barely a feet away from my hand: a spider.

But not just any spider.

A. Freaking. Tarantula.

"Isn't she cute?" Kariya chirped, but his grin told said that he enjoyed my situation. I mentally hit myself and I would have done it in reality if I didn't have to keep my hand there. How could I have been so foolish? Why hadn't I listened to that tiny voice and ignored the bet? Why was I so stupid? These questions floated through my brain as I saw how close that thing was to me. Needless to say, I wasn't really fond of spiders. Absolutely not!

"K-Kariya, get that thing away from me!" Oh god, this was too much! I could barely handle average-sized spiders! I usually just called out for my dad to save me from them. Too bad I knew that the only one who could save me at the moment, wouldn't do it.

"What's wrong, senpai~?" he said in a singsong tone and I swore I was going to kill him. "Don't you like your new friend?"

_He enjoys this way too much,_ I thought sourly. Ignoring his question and trying to distract my mind, I asked: "H-how did you even get i-it?"

"My neighbour is on vacation and he asked me to look after his pet spider. I'm not sure what species she is, but I hope she's not deadly to humans."

Trying hard to suppress my nausea, I almost fainted when that little brat started poking the spider's back, effectively forcing it to walk to my hand! "Kariya, stop it!" When he didn't listen, I grumbled something among the lines of: "When I get my hands on you..." It sounded quite threatening and it usually worked to scare him away, but not today. He knew he had found my weak spot, and he took joy in exploiting it. _Little sadist._

"I'm so scared, senpai," he mocked before he gave the spider a final push so that it climbed on my hand. All the curses in my head were immediately forgotten as I pressed my free hand firmly against my mouth so that I wouldn't scream. That would be really embarrassing!

God, this was torture! How long did I have to endure this? Suddenly, Kariya got up from his seat and walked towards the sink, leaving me alone with that thing! "KARIYA!" I yelled without thinking. "GET IT OFF, RIGHT THIS INSTANCE!"

"But the ten minutes aren't up yet, senpai," the teal haired boy smiled innocently as he filled his water bottle. "There's still three minutes left."

_Damn! _"KARIYA!"

"Is something wrong? We heard screaming," a familiar voice said and my eyes widened when I recognised it. It was _his _voice. Kariya turned around and smiled at the people at the door.

"No, nothing is wrong, Captain. [l/n]-senpai and I are having a really funny bet, that's all."

I couldn't see him since my back was turned towards him, but I knew that Shindou was looking at me and despite the situation, that knowledge increased my blush. "[l/n]-san, are you alright?"

With my hand still pressed against my lips, I wildly shook my head. I knew that if I took my hand away, I wouldn't be able to keep myself from screaming. Footsteps came closer and numerous gasps reached my ears.

"Kariya, what did you do?" Kirino scolded him, but the kohai just smirked.

"Like I said, senpai, [l/n]-senpai and I made a bet."

"The spider was no part of it," I hissed. "You cheated."

His smirk widened, if that was even possible. "No, senpai. The rule was that I didn't pull your hand or something and I did nothing of the sort."

I grumbled, but that turned in a squeal when I felt how the spider started to climb my arm. "Kariya, get it off, now!"

"No~"

"Kariya!"

"I heard you."

"The first thing I'll do tomorrow is dance on your death bed," I threatened darkly, but he wasn't fazed by my words or my glare. It remained silent for a few more seconds, but then the timer went off. Ten minutes had passed, it was over now. Thank goodness.

"There, I won. Now take it off," I yelled at Kariya. Despite the fact that he lost the bet, the smirk was still on his face and my heart grew cold when I realized what this meant: Kariya had a plan.

"Congratulations, senpai," he said and nonchalantly leaned back.

"What are you waiting for? Take it off!"

It remained silent for a few more seconds and a thoughtful expression was plastered on his face. "As you said before, senpai, the spider wasn't part of the bet. Technically, I don't have to remove it."

My eyes widened in shock. He... He had been planning this all along, hadn't he? Even if I would win the bet, he would just keep the spider there until I told him the name of my crush. But I couldn't tell him! I couldn't! If I told it, I wouldn't only say it to Kariya, but to Shindou a well... I didn't have the courage to confess to him! B-but if I didn't I would be stuck here... What should I do? What should I do?

The spider suddenly moved again and instinctively, I made my decision. "Shindou," I whispered barely audibly, hoping that it was enough. I should've known better.

"Hah? What did you say, [l/n]-senpai?"

"It's Shindou! Now get that godforsaken thing off of me!" I yelled and my voice echoed through the room. Kariya smirked as he obliged and silently placed the spider back in its box. I leaned back and closed my eyes, exhausted from all that I had endured.

"Shindou? What's with Shindou?" Kurama asked behind me and my eyes shot open as I realized that I wasn't alone. The whole team was in the room. Shindou was in the room. A blush krept on my face and my mouth fell open, but no sounds came out.

"[l/n]-san?" Shindou asked as he walked closer to me. "What did he ask you?"

"Well, you see..." Kariya chirped happily, glad that he found a new way to drive me in a corner. "I asked he- OW!" I effectively cut him off by kicking his leg, but I knew that that wouldn't stop him from spilling my not-so-secret secret. I didn't want to be there when he told them, when he would display my feelings to everyone... I didn't want to be there when my heart got broken.

And so I ran.

Ignoring the shouts of my teammates, I dashed out of the room. Tears streamed over my hot cheeks, but I didn't notice it. All I wanted was to get away. Shindou didn't follow me, I noticed with relief, but when I looked behind me for the last time, I saw that Kariya whispered something in his ear. I didn't need to guess what that something was.

I was almost through the gates when I recalled that I didn't have all the books for tomorrow, yet, so I ran towards my locker at the speed of light. The longer I stayed around, the greater was the chance that someone would ask what was going on. Worse, if I saw Shindou or Kariya right now... I prayed to the gods that that wouldn't happen!

And it turned out that the gods disliked me.

For when I closed my locker and turned around to go away, I was face to face with Shindou. He was panting so hard that he couldn't speak properly and I wanted to run away again, but he grabbed my wrists before I could. We stood there until he finally regained his breathing, and his closeness made me a little weak in the knees. Silence hung between us, until I couldn't take it anymore.

"I'm sorry."

He shot me a confused glance. "For what?"

"You already know, don't you? Kariya told you, didn't he?"

"He did," Shindou muttered and I couldn't do anything but look down. This was so embarrassing! Several plans to kill that little imp crossed my mind, but I needed to get through this thing first. But no matter what the outcome would be, I promised to myself that I would make Kariya suffer. My next murderous thoughts got cut off when Shindou spoke again. "Would you like me to reply?"

I bit my lip and shook my head, signalling that I didn't want that. I knew that if I spoke, my voice would probably break. He chuckled and asked for the reason and after a little hesitation, I told him: "Because I know you don't love me, so I want to keep my heart in one piece." I was right, my voice broke.

He chuckled again and lifted my chin up, forcing me to look him in the eye. "You're such a smart girl, [l/n]... I never thought that the day would come that I would prove you wrong at something. But it looks like that day finally came." And then he kissed me.

I don't know how long our tongues swirled around each other and I don't know how many times we broke apart for air, only to start again after we filled our lungs. The only thing I knew was that I was happy right now.

Yeah, I was really happy.

"I think we should thank Kariya for what he did," Shindou mused as we broke apart for the umpteenth time.

I scowled. "Yeah, I will thank him. Right before I kill him, that is." Shindou smirked and leaned in to kiss my lips again. I found myself melting into it and my revengeful thoughts temporarily disappeared to the background.

Only temporarily, though.

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><p>"You are rather energetic, senpai," Kariya smirked. It was the next day and we were having water break.<p>

"You know I'm going to get you back for that, don't you," I threatened as I practiced my best death glare. Shindou was now my official boyfriend, though we hadn't told anybody on the team yet. And even though it was mainly because of Kariya that we got together, I still hadn't forgiven what he'd done to me.

"Heh, I'll believe it when I see it," he mocked casually as he brought his water bottle to his mouth. A wicked smile broke through on my face when I saw how he firmly squeezed it, but Kariya didn't see that because he pursed his lips and closed his eyes as soon as the contents of the bottle came into his mouth.

"Revenge is sweet, or in this case, sour," I giggled while sticking out my tongue at him. He was too busy with glaring at me and spitting out the lemon juice to retort my lame one-liner, and when he finally was able to, I didn't listen anymore.

That was because I felt Takuto's hands around my waist and his chin on my shoulder. "Mission accomplished," he whispered in my ear and then we shared a quick kiss.

It wasn't obvious, but it was enough to tell the news to our teammates without actually telling them. It wasn't long, but it was long enough to revive the butterflies in my stomach.

It wasn't overly passionate, but it was enough to take me to another world.

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><p><strong>Me: kinda crappy epilogue-thingy maybe, but I wanted Kariya to drink lemon juice. Ghehe.<strong>

**Anyways, I hope you liked it and please leave a review with who I should write about. Just saying, I'm kinda empty for Chrono Stone Characters at the moment, but I'm open for any Inazuma Eleven/Go/Galaxy suggestions.**

**By the way, the next story is PROBABLY Ibuki (not sure yet). I also have plots for Kazemaru Ichirouta, Matatagi Hayato, Endou Mamoru, Kageyama Hikaru and Nagumo Haruya/Burn. If you want a story like that, please vote for them ^^**

**Goodbye!**

**Oh yeah, and the video was The Tarantula Challenge from Tyler Oakley (along with Connor Franta). Go watch it, it's very funny.**


	2. Ibuki Munemasa

**Me: IBUKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!**

**Ibuki: What?!**

**Me: It's your turn ^^**

**Ibuki: What?**

**Me: -.- God, can't you say something else? Do the disclaimer or something.**

**Ibuki: Wha... *shrugs* Oh well, Lotus Sword doesn't own Inazuma Eleven or you, enjoy!**

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><p><em><strong>Ibuki Munemasa ~ Magic<strong>_

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><p>I laid on my side, folded in the tiny space that was given to me. My breathing was slightly more rapid than usual and I tried to focus on what was going on outside the box. The walls of the box were made of glass, but the bottom edges were covered with a velvety cloth, so I could see no one and no one could see you. The glass door behind me opened and I felt how Mitsuaki Toshiro, also known as The Mighty Magician Mitsuaki, stepped inside. He didn't look at me. Of course he didn't, that would ruin everything.<p>

I payed close attention. Not yet, not yet... Now! When I saw the curtain around the box rising, I raised myself up. My hands were loosly tied to the pole in the middle, which slowed down my movements, and Toshiro was there as well... But I managed it. In the two seconds the curtain was lifted up and dropped down, I had managed to raise myself up as if I'd been transported to this cabin. When I glanced to my right, I saw a similar glass cabin, apparently empty. But I knew better. Another one of Mitsuaki's assistants - who was wearing a wig to look like me - laid in the same position as I did before.

It had to look like the assistant was tied to a pole in the first cabin, while Toshiro stood in the second cabin. As the curtains raised, the assistant was 'magically' transported from one cabin to the other. At least, that was what the audience thought.

"That was great!" Toshiro's manager exclaimed. He was our test audience, since this was a new magic trick and we still had to practice a lot.

"You were amazing." It was soft, but I still heard him since he was breathing right into my ear. "As expected from my muse." I turned towards him and smiled before he leaned in and kissed me softly. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the kiss.

"That's enough for today, people. See you tomorrow," the manager exclaimed and we broke the kiss. Toshiro pouted.

"I have to change before I go, baka," I giggled and stepped out of the cabin, but not before I gave Toshiro another sweet kiss on his cheek. When I was changing - along with the other assistants - I thought about how lucky I was. I was one of the beautiful, talented, flexible assistants of The Mighty Magician Mitsuaki, but I - and only I - was Toshiro's muse. He always called me that, since he said that I was the inspiration for his new magic tricks. I was also his main assistant, which meant that I helped on stage with most of his tricks.

And I was his girlfriend.

It was amazing that he was such a talented magician on such a young age - he was only fourteen - and that was why his manager decided that he needed young assistants as well. I had always wanted to do something with performing and with my flexibility, I was quickly chosen as one of the assistants. A month after I started, Toshiro asked me to be his girlfriend and we have been dating ever since. I was truly lucky, but still... I couldn't help but feel that there was something more for me in this world...

Toshiro walked me home, as usual, but on the way, a tall man walked up to us. "[l/n] [f/n]?" he asked and I nodded unsurely. "I need to talk to you." I didn't answer but took a better look at him instead. He was tall, old and kind of creepy. His hair was white and he wore dark sunglasses, so I couldn't see his eyes. He also wore a suit and stood with his hand on his hips. I hesitated for a bit, but then I nodded and turned to Toshiro.

"You can go home without me, I see you tomorrow." He glanced at the man before he nodded and kissed my forehead as a silent sign of affection.

"See you tomorrow," he muttered and he left, while I turned to the man.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"I am Kuroiwa Ryuusei. I have an offer for you."

I frowned. "An offer?"

"I want you to join Shinsei Inazuma Japan."

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><p>So yeah, that's what happened. He asked me to play in that soccer tournament thingy and if I did it, he would give me an opportunity to be the star, instead of the assistant. I had hesitated a lot, but decided to take the offer in the end. This was just such a great chance. But even now, I hadn't yet found out why that coach chose me as a member for the national soccer team. I had never done so much as kicking a soccer ball to begin with and there must be tons of better players out there. Thinking about that for too long was pointless and it gave me a headache, so I just shrugged it off. I wasn't complaining!<p>

Well, not much at least.

The thing I didn't like was the fact that I had to leave Toshiro's show. He had always said that one day, the two of us would be a performing duo and that had been my dream as well. It still is, but... Up until now, all I've been in his show was a pretty face to distract the audience while Toshiro was showing off his magic. I wanted more, that was why I agreed to the offer. Did I make a mistake?

The phone call I had with Toshiro that evening, hadn't been nice and remembering how his voice broke still caused tears to escape from my eyes. At first he thought that I was joking, but then he realized that I was deadly serious. He had grown angry with me, said that I was throwing away a beautiful career and that I was betraying him... It hurt, but I hadn't said anything in my defense. He even tried to convince me after the shock died down a little. He said that he needed me for that latest trick we had been practicing. That was when I told him that I'd already signed the contract and that there was no way back.

That moment, I had felt how the atmosphere changed, even though he wasn't with me. He replied coldly to everything I said and hung up as soon as he could. The last thing he said to me was a muttered 'good luck with that soccer business'. I cried the entire night about what I might have lost, afraid that my loving boyfriend would completely turn away from me. I didn't know if Toshiro would forgive me and I felt like I couldn't live on if he didn't.

The next morning, I had received a text from him in which he apologized for his outburst. It relieved me a bit, but I also realized that something was different from before. Up until now, he texted me at least thrice a day, but he never called anymore. I longed to hear his voice, but I was too afraid to call him myself. That's why I only typed my texts to him with trembling fingers while silently fearing that I might never hear him call out my name again.

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><p><strong>Time skip<strong>

Our first few matches had ended and surprisingly, we won them. That was strange, considering the fact that eight of the eleven members had never played soccer before. The three who did acted differently towards the amateurs.

The captain, Matsukaze Tenma, was so enthusiastic that it was almost annoying. Even when I told him that I didn't like soccer and just played in the tournament because of the contracts, he kept on trying to persuade me. And I had to admit, it _was _kinda fun to do. But not, well... not the way he did it. Seriously, sometimes I wondered if that boy ever thought about anything else than soccer. To be honest, I genuinely doubted it.

Tsurugi Kyousuke, the ace striker, was more like the quiet type. He often stood a bit behind, his arms crossed, his eyes not missing a single detail. He didn't say much, unless he gave a small piece of advice to me or our inexperienced teammates.

And then there was Shindou Takuto, the gamemaker. He acted really cold towards us, like it was our fault that we were chosen when we couldn't even play properly. Well, it was, kind of, but my point still stood! He especially seemed to dislike Ibuki Munemasa, the keeper. Almost every training, those two were quarreling. Shindou often started by stating that Ibuki was too weak, to which the keeper replied that he would show Shindou how strong he was. Then, Shindou would shoot the ball and score a goal, before he said something like "You see now?" and walked away. I actually sided with Ibuki in this, since Shindou had total attitude problems. He did warm up towards the rest us after a while, though. Only Ibuki was remained his enemy, or whatever they were.

We slowly got to know each other better, mostly because the captain was really interested in our personal lives and Minaho sometimes stated random things others, which he had 'deduced' from our actions or such. He said he wanted to become a detective, and to me, he clearly has the skills for that. Manabe was a really smart guy who knew the answer to about every math problem ever thought of - and quite possibly also of the ones that weren't thought of yet. Tetsukado was a boxer and Kusaka head of a street gang. And then there was Matatagi Hayato, who seemed to be a silent and serious boy as well. All in all, it was a colourful bunch of people and thought I got along with them, we didn't become close friends or anything.

Except for Ibuki. He was the only boy I could actually talk to, since we turned out to have many things in common (who knew a cool guy like him loved to read books?).

As for the girls, Nozasaki Sakura became something of a friend to you. She did rhytmic gymnastics, meaning that she was pretty flexible, just like me. We could talk a lot about different poses and movements and such, but we didn't get too close since she seemed a bit of a drama queen to me.

Of course, the others quickly learned about my past too. What would you expect, with an eager captain and a future detective around? But I didn't really mind, it was only fair, right? After he found out that I knew magic tricks, Captain often asked me to perform some during lunch breaks. Then I would do a few small card tricks and such, before we attended our afternoon practice. Every time someone asked me how the trick worked, and every time I replied with the same word:

"Magic."

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><p>"Okay, three plastic cups, one little ball. All you gotta do is point out where the ball is, okay?" Ibuki nodded that he understood it. I placed the ball under the middle cup and started to shuffle it as fast as I could, in the meantime looking at Ibuki. I saw how his eyes were fixated on one cup and when I stopped, he pointed at the rightmost cup.<p>

"That's the one."

"Tsk, you shouldn't fall for that," Matatagi butted in. "It's easy to cheat with this, when you're experienced enough in shuffling."

I simply ignored him and took away the two other cups. Both had nothing underneath it. Ibuki bumped his fist in the air, yelling a "Yosha!" in glee and I couldn't help but giggle at his reaction.

"I'm not done yet. Now I have to teleport it somewhere." Whoosh, now I suddenly had their full attention. I closed my eyes as if I was concentrating deeply, as if I was sending the little ball to a new location with my mind. Then, without warning, I hit the remaining cup. It flattened immediately underneath my hand, thus showing that there wasn't anything underneath it anymore.

I saw the question in their eyes: 'Where did it go?' Smiling ever so brightly, I chided: "Matatagi-kun, could you feel in the right pocket of your jersey, please?"

He did as I told him, a small blush on his face when everyone stared at him. But then a smug smile appeared on his face. "You need to practice more, [l/n]-kun. My pocket is empty."

"Really now?" I tapped my chin with my finger as if I thought about what had gone wrong. Matatagi wanted to walk away, but then he stopped.

"What the-" He sat down, took off his right shoe and... revealed the little ball. He stared at me in disbelieve.

"I think you're right, Matatagi-kun," I chimed. "I have to practice more. How foolish of me to send it to your shoe."

"How did you do that?" Minaho asked me with utmost interest. "I didn't see you go anywhere near Matatagi-kun."

"Magic~" was my reply again while I smiled secretively and put a finger against my lips.

"Magic doesn't exist," Manabe stated matter-of-factly. "In fact, there's a 96,89% chance that this trick is based on palmistry and distraction."

"Then, tell me how I did it, Manabe-kun, if it wasn't magic."

He kept silent since he didn't know what I had done exactly. Captain clapped his hands together and flashed all of us a bright smile. "Okay, minna, let's head out for practice!"

* * *

><p>"You're improving, [ln]-kun," Matsukaze said and I smiled at him.

"Arigatou, Captain."

I took a water break right now. Both Captain and I were standing at the side line, drinking water, catching our breath and chatting a bit, until...

"Oi! [l/n]!" an all too familiar voice shouted. My eyes widened, I hadn't heard that voice in an eternity! Afraid that I was mistaken, I turned around and all my fears immediately washed away.

"Toshiro!" I exclaimed in glee as I ran up to him and threw my arms around his neck. Sue me for being a clingy girlfriend at the moment, but I hadn't seen him since this whole soccer-stuff started and I had really missed his firm arms around me. I tightened my grip around him as I dug my nose in the crook of his neck. It was only when I opened my eyes a little that I noticed the girl that stood next to him. I had been so happy to see Toshiro again, that I hadn't even noticed her!

But now I did, and I noticed something else as well. Toshiro didn't push me away, but he didn't hug me back either. He just stood there like a statue, waiting for me to release him. Like he didn't even know me! Placing my hands on his shoulder to keep him at an armlengths distance, I shot him a confused glance. "What's wrong, Toshiro?"

"Please address him as 'The Mighty Magician Mitsuaki' or just 'Mitsuaki-sama' in short," the girl said niminy-piminy. My heart grew cold as I casted my gaze at her.

"Who are you?"

"[l/n]-kun, this is Kumi Akiko. Akiko-chan is my new muse." Toshiro said as he took a half step back, so that my hands fell off his shoulders, and instead went closer to Kumi, wrapping an arm around her slender waist. I could only stare at him with my mouth wide open, unable to produce a sentence, a word or even a sound.

"B-but... I-" I stuttered eventually, but he ruthlessly cut me off.

"_You_ left me, [l/n]-kun." The way he said my name - my _last __name_ - caused me to flinch. "I was heartbroken, not to mention desperate about our latest trick. How would I ever replace someone like you? But then there was Akiko-chan, who was just as great - no, even greater than you. I came by today to tell you that you don't have to come back to the theatre when all this soccer-business goes wrong."

And with those words, he turned around and walked away, his arm locked with Kumi's. I stood there, frozen on the spot, trying to grasp the concept. H-he dumped me? Why? Was this still about me playing in Shinsei Inazuma Japan? But how could he replace me that easily? We had been together for almost nine months and he always told me how much I meant to him.

Were it all lies?

"[l/n]-kun?" Captain's soft voice broke through my thoughts and I turned around, only to see the whole team staring at me. My eyes stung and tears threatened to escape. I just... I just...

"I need to go!" Without another word, I turned around and ran away from them, tears streaming down my cheeks.

"[l/n]!"

"Wait, Tenma," came Shindou's voice. "I think we should give her some time."

* * *

><p>I didn't go back to practice that afternoon, because I really didn't feel like doing anything else than crying. I locked myself in my room, sat down on my bed and cried for hours. At some point, the tears stopped flowing and I only brought out a few muffled sobs. My thoughts wandered through my time with Toshiro and I thougt about how he had lied to me. All those promises about the both of us standing on the stage as equals while performing our magic tricks... It were all lies. He never wanted me to be his equal, he wanted me to remain the pretty face that distracts the audience.<p>

Someone knocked on the door, but I didn't look up or open it. "[l/n]-kun?" Sorano Aoi, the manager, said with a soft voice. "Are you alright?"

"No, go away please."

"... Alright then. I wanted to tell you that dinner is ready, Auntie made your favourite." I didn't reply, so she went on. "I know we're not really close friends or anything, but you can tell me anything, honest."

Despite the situation I was currently in, I allowed yourself a small smile that no one else could see. _Sorano is such a nice girl,_ I thought.

"Maybe later, okay? I just want to be alone for a while."

"Okay." The sound of her footsteps faded away and I was alone once again, though not for long. Suddenly, the door slid open to reveal Ibuki. Part of me wanted to scold him for disrupting my privacy like that and take all the anger I built up out on him, but I couldn't really find the energy to do so.

"What do you want?" I asked. He didn't reply but entered and sat down next to me. Our knees touched and I wished I could just send my thoughts about the matter to him, so that I wouldn't have to talk about it. Even better, if I could sent all my thoughts about Toshiro to Ibuki, I would completely forget about him. I sighed deeply as I tossed that idea in my mental trashbin. _Too bad that's not possible yet._

"You okay?" That's Ibuki Munemasa, people. He's not the type to beat around the bush.

I nodded slightly. "I'll manage."

"You should come, Auntie made your favourite."

"Sorano said so, but I'm not really hungry."

"Come on, where is that cheery girl with her magic?" He tried to make me smile, but it didn't work.

"Manabe was right," I muttered softly. "Magic doesn't exist. It's all smoke, palmistry, trapdoors and pretty faces for distraction. I was nothing more but a pretty face to him." My voice was so low during that last words, that I could barely hear myself. Still, it seemed like Ibuki understood it perfectly.

"[f/n]" Ibuki said and I looked up to him, realizing that this was the first time he used me first name. "Magic does exist, I'll prove it to you."

Before I could ask him what he meant by that, he leaned in and I felt his lips on mine. He held me by my chin to keep me from backing away, but he didn't have to. I was frozen in place by his actions, unable to move or process what was going on. _What is he doing?_ I thought. I didn't know how to respond. Should I kiss him back? Push him away? Cry? Laugh? Scream? In the end, all I did was sitting still and waiting for it all to end. Then he pulled away.

Objectively speaking, his kiss couldn't have lasted longer than a few seconds, considering he hadn't even asked for entrance. It had only been a brief touch of the lips, nothing more and nothing less. After he broke the kiss, I was completely dumbstruck. He smiled at me, a little red hue tinting his cheeks. My mind desperately tried to put the facts together, but the final answer didn't seem logical at all. Ibuki Munemasa, a teammate of mine about whom I only knew a little bit, had just kissed me.

Yup, no logic at all!

But still, it happened. I could still feel a little tingling in my lips, where they had come in contact with his, and the small blush on Ibuki's face was evident. As far as I knew, Ibuki didn't blush. Never.

"I-Ibuki," I said, swallowing the lump in my throat. Did he want an answer? What was I supposed to say? "I..."

"Shh, you don't have to answer yet," he smiled. "I know how much it hurts, a break up. Just take your time, I'll wait for you, okay?" When I nodded, taken aback by his straightforwardness and overall, his consideration, he got up and reached for my hand to pull me up. "Now come on, let's get you something to eat while it's still warm."

As I followed him to the main hall, my hand still captured in his, a little thought crossed my mind. _When this pain in my heart is gone... Maybe then__, just maybe, I can fall in love with Ibuki._

* * *

><p><strong>Time skip<strong>

I had resumed my practice the day after I saw Toshiro and my teammates were obviously happy about that. They showed their compassion for me and did fun things so I could forget about Toshiro. I was happy that they cared that much for my happiness, but my feelings for Ibuki confused me. In time, I had thought less and less about Toshire and more about the white-haired goalkeeper. There was definitely something between us, a spark of some kind, but was it love? After my most recent experience, I was hesitant to start another relationship with someone. What if it would end up just like the first? And I wasn't even sure whether my feelings for Ibuki were really love or just attraction... I didn't want it to turn out that I only used him to forget about my own pain. That wouldn't be right!

It had been two weeks since Ibuki's bold action, and I had sorted out my feelings as well as I could. Today's practice was just like any other, with Ibuki and Shindou quarrelling about the goalkeeper's strength. As I watched how he glared angrily at the gamemaker, I made my decision.

"Now, come!" Ibuki yelled at Shindou. "I'll show you how much power I have." Shindou narrowed his eyes before he shot the ball with his hissatsu technique, Fortissimo. The powerful shoot dashed towards the goal and I watched how it soared at Ibuki. I wasn't the only one, Captain and the others were also watching the scene. Ibuki frowned in concentration as he eyed the ball.

"You can stop it, Munemasa!" I yelled from the top of my lungs. His first name felt weird on my tongue, but not unpleasant. He glanced at me and I knew that I got my message across. He replaced his frown with a confident smile, planted his feet in the ground, bent a bit forward and caught the ball with his hands. It was powerful and the shot pushed him back, but he remained standing and eventually stopped the ball.

"Great job, Ibuki!" Tetsukado yelled enthusiastically while he bumped his fist in the air. "I see all that training is finally paying off!"

Ibuki grinned as he walked over to me, a confident smile on his lips. He carried the ball he had just stopped under his left arm, as if it was a trophy. "No, it wasn't because of the training," he said, not looking away from me. The others started to notice it too and focussed their attention on me. I blushed a bit, but I remained where I was.

When he stood in front of me, he bent forward to my lips. My breathing was slightly rapid from anticipation and adrenalin coursed through my veins. I wanted to run a marathon, jump from a plane and dive in the ocean, all at once, but I didn't. I just stood still as he came closer to me, a smile playing on my lips.

"It was magic~" he whispered before he closed the little gap that was left between us. He dropped the ball to embrace me and I threw my arms around his neck to deepen the kiss. I kissed him and he kissed my, right in front of the entire team. Some were yelling, others were cheering or doing whatnot, but I didn't care. The sounds graduately faded to the background as I parted my lips to let him enter.

And while we were both wearing our sweaty uniforms, while we were both slightly out of breath because of practice and while our team was cheering us on, I simply enjoyed my magical moment with him.

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><p><strong>Me: Soooo, how was it? :D Ibuki might be a bit OCC, but oh well... And the reason why I didn't let you kiss him back the first time was because I don't think you would be over a break up that fast... Two weeks is still short in my opinion, but yeah, ignore that :P<strong>

**You know the drill, right? Read, review, request...**

**By the way, Ajla-chan... You've requested a grown Goenji Shuuya, but I have absolutely no inspiration for a story like that. I'm very sorry, I'll be posting one as soon as I get an idea for it. I just don't want it to be a crappy 100 word story because 'I had no inspiration at the moment' and then get a brilliant idea for it just a few weeks after. I hope you'll understand.**

**Bye!**


	3. Kazemaru Ichirouta

**Me: Ohayo! ^^ So yeah, I'm in an updating spree for 'My Other Half' and now I'm kinda neglecting my other stories... I promise I'm going to upload new chapters for both 'The Final Battle' and 'Captor of my Heart' soon. Tomorrow I have a test (I did it, failed it, now I have a second chance thingy for it (I don't know the word for it in English -.-")) and probably not so much homework for Friday, so I'm going to write tomorrow. Dunno if I can upload it then as well, but you'll just have to see about that.**

**Okay, as for the story, it's Kazemaru's time! I just realized that this is the first time (in like, ever) that I write something about an IE-character instead of IE GO (Chrono Stone/Galaxy). So Kazemaru, say hello! ^^**

**Kazemaru: Ehm, hi?**

**Me: Meh, it'll do. Okay, disclaimer: I don't own Kazemaru or the other characters, nor do I own the words in this chapter, since they belong to the English and Japanese language... I do own the word order though.**

** Enjoy~!**

**P.s. This takes place during the FF. It's around the time of Raimon's match against Kidokawa Seishuu.**

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><p><em><strong>Kazemaru Ichirouta ~ Nii-san?<strong>_

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><p>I looked up to the tall building that was visible through the gate. "Raimon Jr. High, huh?" I muttered silently before I averted my gaze and started walking. I had absolutely no idea where I should go. <em>Where would he be?<em> I thought as I walked towards the main entrance. Then I hesitated. I could go inside of course, but the chances that I would find him in that crowd were close to zero. Maybe I could better ask someone if they had seen him?

Determined now that I had a plan, I looked around for anyone I could ask. An enthusiastic, blue haired girl with a pair of glasses caught my eye. She wore the Raimon school uniform and was clearly heading somewhere.

"Excuse me, can I please ask you something?" I asked politely and the girl turned around.

"Of course you can," she smiled, but before I could ask anything, she continued. "Are you new here? I don't think I saw you before."

"No, I don't attend this school. I'm actually looking for someone. Maybe you know him? His name is Kazemaru Ichirouta." Her eyes brightened at my words and I knew she knew who I was talking about. Maybe this whole search wouldn't take all that long!

"Kazemaru-senpai? Yes, I know him. He's probably at the soccer grounds right now, training with the team. I was just heading there, so you can come along if you want?" As I nodded and followed her to where apparently the soccer club was, I noticed that I quite liked the girl, who was happily chatting about all kinds of stuff.

"So, Kazemaru is in the soccer club, eh?" I asked and she nodded.

"Yeah, Kazemaru-senpai is a defender and he is the fastest player in the team at the moment. He was in the athletics club at first, but he joined the soccer club when we were close to being disbanded."

"We? Are you in the soccer club as well?"

"Oh no, I'm a manager. Otonashi Haruna, at your service," she said while extending her hand. You smiled and shook it.

"[l/n] [f/n], nice to meet you, Otonashi-san."

"Oh, we've arrived."

I looked in front of me, expecting a building or a soccer field or... well, something else than a shabby old shack. For a second I thought I had misunderstood, but this really appeared to be Otonashi-san's destination. "Is this the clubroom?" I asked to be sure and she nodded.

"I know it's not big, but we don't have anything else at the mo- Look out!" she yelled as she pulled me away. The door of the shack had opened and an eager brunette with an orange headband dashed out. "Sakka yarouze!" he yelled before he realized that I was there. He barely managed to stop in time, but fortunately he didn't bump into me.

"Ahaha, gomen. I didn't see you there," he said while he scratched the back of his head.

"It's okay," I smiled. It was kinda hard to get angry with this boy, for he reminded me greatly of my little cousin. That boy was just as eager, enthusiastic and goofy as this one, and their smiles were alike, too.

"Endou, you should be more careful. People could get injured, you know," a boy said while he walked up to us. His aquamarine hair was tied up in a ponytail and his bangs covered one eye. The other eye was light brown and it observed me kindly. I noticed that he kind of resembled me and my heart thumped faster. I knew I had found him, that he was the one I was looking for, even before Otonashi introduced me to him. "Kazemaru-senpai, this is [l/n] [f/n]. She was looking for you."

He shot a surprised glance at me. "You were looking for me? Why?"

"Well, eh..." I stuttered, realizing thatI had been so busy with finding him that I hadn't thought about what I should tell him. "Can I... Can I talk to you in private, please?" I finally managed to say as I noticed how everyone was staring at us, and more specifically, me.

Kazemaru quickly realized the reason for my unease and turned around to his teammates. "Go ahead without me, I'll catch up with you." At first no one moved, but then Endou bumped his fist in the air and dashed off, yelling "Sakka yarouze!" once more. The others quickly followed him after they shot us a last couple of curious glances.

And now I was alone with him, still not sure what to say. Kazemaru's chuckle broke the silence and when I looked at his face, I saw how he was shaking his head as he looked at his teammates in the distance. "Well, that's our captain," he said softly and despite my nerves, I giggled softly. It was so kind of him to allow me some time to get my act together and his little joke had immediately broken the ice. But then he turned serious. "What is it you want to talk about, [l/n]-san, was it?"

"I... I think you might be my brother," I blurted out and gulped. This was not really the subtile approach I had in mind. He blinked.

"Eh?!"

"Gomen, I know this is very sudden. Let me explain. A month ago, my parents told me that I was adopted when I was very young. I didn't really mind it, but I _did_ got curious as to who my real family would be. So I contacted the adoption agency, but the only thing they could tell me was that my original name had been Kazemaru [f/n]. Kazemaru isn't a really common name, so I decided to look for everyone named Kazemaru and just... Well..."

"I see," he said. "I'm sorry, this is quite a lot for me."

"I understand," I said humbly. "The thing is, I'm not sure whether you are my brother or not. That is why I wanted to ask you if you are willing to put it to the test?"

"Test?"

"Yes, there are tests that compare two persons' DNA to see whether they are family or not... I understand if you don't want to do it, but I just had to ask it."

"I see," he said again. I heard the sounds of the other soccer players in the distance and Kazemaru seemed to hear them as well, because he turned to me and smiled an apologetic smile. "Can you please give me some time to process all of this? After practice, I'll tell you what I think, okay?" Nodding, I followed him to the grounds, where I sat down with the managers. The rest of the afternoon, I watched the boy who might be my nii-san.

* * *

><p>"That's some tough practice you are doing," I said while handing a panting Kazemaru a water bottle. He took it from me and smiled.<p>

"Yeah," he panted, "of course... We're close to... being national... champions, you know... we can't afford... to lose."

"Woah, easy there, I don't want you to faint." He flashed me a tired smile - which was breathtakingly - and after a few seconds of silence, I carefully started about my point. "So, have you made your decision yet or..."

"Yes."

"And?"

"I'll do it, you made me rather curious about it as well."

"Really?!" I exclaimed as I hugged him by surprise. He was startled for a moment, but then hugged me back. The feeling of his muscled arms around my back was reassuring, and I had a good feeling about the test results. Kazemaru and I looked alike, we got along and I kind of felt myself drawn to him... There's no way we weren't siblings, right?

The sound of someone who cleared his throat made us pull away and when I turned around, I saw the entire team looking at us. "Are you two dating or something?" Someoka asked. Kazemaru blushed bright red beside me.

"No, of course not!" he exclaimed. He looked at me as if to ask something and when I nodded, he turned back to the team. "She might be my sister."

The others responded the same way Kazemaru did when I had told him. After he explained the situation to them and changed to his school uniform once again, the both of us walked home. "So, [f/n], how does a test like that work exactly? Do we have to go somewhere or... yeah..."

"When I first contacted them, they sent me a few tubes. They said all we have to do is put some DNA in it - like a few hairs or a drip of blood or something - and send it to them. In a week, they'll send us the results."

"And do you really think that I'm your brother?"

"Well, we do look alike, wouldn't you agree?"

He took a closer look at me as if he was comparing us and then he sighed. "I guess so," he muttered as he looked away. He looked quite... sad.

"Is something wrong?" you asked. "Don't you want me to be your little sister?"

"No, it's not that..." he trailed off.

"Ichirouta-nii-chan," I whined teasingly while tasting his name on my lips.

"Please stop with that," he sighed. "It sounds weird. And long."

"What about Ichi-nii, then?"

"Better, I guess." There it was again! That small aura of sadness that surrounded him. Before I could ask him about it, however, he spoke up. "Say, I barely know anything about you, though you seem to know quite a lot about me already. That's not really fair, don't you agree?"

I shrugged and tried to emit openness. "Ask away."

"What's your age?"

"Thirteen."

"Do you have pets?"

"No, I'm allergic to cats and the [l/n] Family doesn't really like dogs and such."

The questions went on and on, getting more personal when he learned more about me. Then suddenly, he asked: "So, do you have a boyfriend?" I looked up to see his face, only to find that he wouldn't look me in the eye. Instead he stared straight ahead, even though he must have noticed that I was looking at him.

"Is that some older-brother-protectiveness I see there?" I teased.

"Maybe," he said with a slight blush on his cheeks. "Well, do you?"

"Maybe," I replied in the same tone as he did seconds ago and stuck out my tongue when he shot me a glare. I admit that I was acting a little childish for my age, but that's just who I am. "If you wanna find out so badly, catch me if you can!" I yelled before you dashed off, leaving Kazemaru behind. That didn't last long, though, because he quickly chased after me and truth be told, he caught up in the blink of an eye. When I reached the park entrance, he caught my waist and turned me around.

"Mou, you're too fast. No fair," I pouted.

He chuckled and then started to tickle me, which felt like thousands of ants marching over my body. I squealed and squeaked and squirmed to get away, but he wouldn't let me go. He didn't listen to my pleas either and his movements didn't even falter when I yelled things like 'rape'. Passerby's shot us bemused glances, but didn't lend me a hand with my evil possible brother. They must have thought that I was exagerating, but I really wasn't! Getting tickled like that is really similar to rape, the only difference is that I was forced to laugh. Even when I was on the ground, Ichi-nii didn't let me go. He only stopped when I yelled out: "No, no, I don't have a boyfriend. Please have mercy!"

* * *

><p>The days after that, I got really close with Ichi-nii. My adoptive father had arranged with my school that I got a few weeks off to find my real family. It was an unusual regulation and I had to go to summer school in order to make up for it, but I didn't really mind that. Right now, I just wanted to find out where I came from. And quite possibly, I had already found it. Not only did I resemble Kazemaru Ichirouta a lot, but we also had a lot of things in common.<p>

When he was in school, I just wandered around town. I always waited for him after school and watched his soccer practice every day, since I didn't really have something better to do. However, watching him practice was never boring, nor did it feel like an obligation. In fact, I caught myself a few mornings looking forward to that time of the day where Ichi-nii would play so passionately. The other teammates befriended me as well, but the only one I really got along with was Ichi-nii. He allowed only me to call him that, but his teammates used my nickname too so they could tease him. After a while, they just forgot about it, though. Ichi-nii was obviously relieved when orders like "pass it to Ichi-chan" were no longer heard on the field.

After soccer practice, Ichi-nii would show me around town or take me to a special place. We did tons of fun things and he even got me into soccer. I was absolutely terrible at it, which made him laugh at me. When I pouted and complained about it, he hugged me and said: "Not so sad, I can't make my little sister cry, now can I?"

I pushed him away and felt like I missed a part of me when I didn't feel his arms around me anymore. But I just shurgged it off and mock glared at him. "I'm not crying, _nii-san__,_" I snorted. And then suddenly, I saw it again: there was a hint of sadness in his kind, light brown eyes. He tried to smile it away, but I had seen it clearly. Despite this, I decided to shrugg it off. After all, he would tell me when he was ready for it, right?

* * *

><p>And then the fated day finally came. When I waited for Ichi-nii at the soccer clubroom, I held a big brown envelope in my hand. He jogged towards the clubroom with the others, but slowed down as he saw me and the serious expression I wore. "Are those the results of the test?" he asked and I nodded. He did the same and remained silent for a few seconds. His teammates were watching us, careful not to break the silence. "Have you looked already?"<p>

"I wanted to wait for you."

He smiled a bit and his white teeth shone in the sunlight. That smile took my breath away in an instance and I almost missed his next words. "Then, let's wait until practice is over, okay?" Smiling and giggling when I heard the responses of the others, who were complaining that they wanted to know it now, I followed him as they headed to the soccer field.

.

After practice, I followed Ichi-nii. He had been quiet ever since practice ended and he seemed really nervous. Speeding up so that I walked alongside him, I took his hand in mine and gave it a reassuring squeeze. He shot me a confused glance and for a moment I thought he was blushing, but that was probably just the light of the setting sun. He quickly looked to his other side, keeping me from seeing his face. His behaviour worried me a bit. Ichi-nii seemed restless and nervous, and I thought I knew what was bothering him. As I gave his hand another squeeze,I said airily: Don't worry, it'll be alright. We look so much alike and we have so much in common... There's not a doubt that we're siblings."

He smiled at me, but it was that sad smile again. I was confused, wasn't that the thing that had been worrying him? Then what could it be? I walked a few more minutes while trying to figure it out, but I remained clueless in the end. Concluding that I would never find the answer by myself, I tugged Ichi-nii's arm to make him face me. "Ichi-nii, what's wrong? Don't you want me to be your sister?" I asked while looking him in his only visible eye. I wondered if he looked at me with only that eye or if he also glanced through his bangs with the other, but I decided to push that trivial matter aside.

"No, I would love to," he replied as he started walking in front of me again. I followed him without a word, but kept on shooting him observant glances. He took a breath, not looking at me. "It's just..." He trailed off again.

"It's just...?"

"...Nothing. We've arrived." I was about to scold him for not telling me - again - but the words got stuck in my throat as I looked at the scenery around me. The sun was already setting and bathed all of Inazuma Town in an orange-golden glow. The spot where we were standing gave us a perfect view and I suddenly got the feeling that I was looking at a painting.

"It's beautiful," I breathed, afraid to break the serenity of this place. My eyes were glued to the sunset and I grabbed the railing tight because I was afraid I would drift away in all this beauty.

"This is where I joined the soccer club," Ichi-nii said as he went to stand next to me. The fabric of his school uniform pressed against the fabric of my sweater, but I could still feel his body warmth through that double layer. For some reason, my cheeks heated up and I instinctively increased the distance between us a little. But after a few seconds, I found that it was nice to stand so close to him, so I stepped back. Ichi-nii didn't seem to notice this and if he did, he didn't say anything about it. "Endou was practicing his special techniques, meaning that he was hitting himself in the face with a giant tire." He chuckled and I laughed along. Yes, that sounded a lot like Endou.

It remained silent for a few minutes and we both enjoyed the view. "It's a very special place to me, so I thought maybe we could open the envelope here?" Ichi-nii then said and I nodded before I took the said envelope out of my bag. I noticed how my hands slightly trembled and felt how my intestines twisted from my nerves. This was the moment, now I would finally know whether Ichi-nii and I were really siblings or not. _It'll be alright, it'll be alright,_ I chanted in my head before I took a deep gulp of air and took the paper out of the envelope. Ichi-nii read it over my shoulder.

My eyes quickly skimmed the introduction and then skipped to the conclusion of the investigation. A gasp was all I could muster as a reaction, since I was too shocked for anything else.

'From the results is concluded that there is no substantial match between both test subjects, meaning that they are not directly related to one another.'

That's what the letter said. And it was a professional institution that had researched our DNA, so the chance of a mistake was small. Did that mean that Ichi-nii... wasn't my brother? I heard him sigh behind me and suddenly realized that he was also here.

"Ichirouta..." It felt strange to call him like that, but 'Ichi-nii' wouldn't apply anymore. "I'm-I'm so sorry to have dragged you into this, I-I..." I stopped talking since I felt how my throat was squeazed tightly. Something prickled in my nose and forced my eyes to shed a tear. I didn't want it, I didn't want to cry in front of him, but I could barely help myself. I had been so sure that Ichirouta and I were family, that we belonged together... How could I have been so wrong?

I glanced up at his face to study his reaction. So far, he hadn't said a word about it. I expected him to be ashamed or angry or frustrated or sad or something in that direction. What I absolutely hadn't expected, was the bright smile that was plastered on his face. He was smiling from ear to ear as he watched the beautiful sunset. But the sunset and the scenery had lost their shine for me, since they would always remind me of the fact that this kind, sweet boy wasn't related to me. And he was _happy_ about that!

Anger took over and I glared at him through my tears, which had escaped my eyes despite my efforts to hold them back. I had been convinced that he wanted to be my brother as well, but it seemed like I had been wrong again. Why had he done this? Why had he acted like that? Because he pitied me? Did he lie to make me feel better?

"Why are you so happy?" I practically shouted at him. That didn't do anything about his obvious display of happiness, though. He turned back to me and when I saw the full extend of his smile, I couldn't take it anymore. "I knew it, you didn't want me to be your sister from the start!" I yelled loudly.

"You're right," he said. "And now that I know that you're not my sister, I can finally do this." I wanted to ask what 'this' was, but he didn't give me a chance for that.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine. His kiss was forceful, but also gentle. He licked my lips after repeatedly planting soft kisses on them, which I automatically returned for some reason. Tears still streamed down my cheeks, but I didn't know why anymore. As he pushed his tongue with a little more force against my lips, urging me to allow him entrance to my mouth, I decided that my tears didn't matter at the moment and I melted into the kiss.

His kis told me what he never told me with his words and the puzzle pieces finally fell into placde. The eagerness in his kiss told me how much he had yearned to do this, how much he loved me. The sadness in his eyes was because he didn't want me as his sister: he wanted me as someone much closer.

When I realized this, I thought that it actually didn't matter that we weren't related to one another. I just wanted to be with him, no matter what. _I might not be your sister,_ you thought as your tongue swirled around his in a passionate dance, _but we definitely belong to each other.__  
><em>

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><p><strong>Me: Aww... n.n I actually wanted to send Endou to crash your party (since this was his trainings spot and all), but I just couldn't do that to you in the end. :) Kazemaru is so sweet (A). He's definitely one of my favourite characters :3<strong>

**Kazemaru: Err, thanks? Leave a review people and thank you for voting for me!**


	4. Tsurugi Kyousuke

**Me: Okay, It's Tsurugi Kyousuke's turn!**

**Tsurugi: Huh?**

**Matatagi: Wha-? You said you would do me!**

**Me: I would, but there were a few who requested Tsurugi Kyousuke, so I thought I should do him first. You're next ^^**

**Matatagi: Grr, fine. Lotus Sword doesn't own Inazuma Eleven. I hope you enjoy this!**

**Tsurugi: Wait a minute, don't I have anything to say in this?**

**Me: Nope, enjoy minna!**

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><p><em><strong>Tsurugi Kyousuke ~ My secret<strong>_

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><p><span><strong>Friday<strong>

I sighed in relief as I closed the door behind my back. Home at last. There were many students that would claim school to be pure torture, but to me, it really was. Not because of hellish teachers, piles of homework, heavy books or annoying classmates though. Of course, I had to deal with those too, but I could handle that. What made school so torturous for me, was the secret I had to keep from everyone.

Allow me to introduce myself: I am [l/n] [f/n], an average thirteen-year-old girl who attends Raimon Jr. High. I started a month ago, halfway the year, since I didn't like my previous school and transferred. The thing was, there was no student registered at Raimon with the name [l/n] [f/n].

The only name that came close to it, was [l/n] Kyoichi. Gender: Male.

That's right, I pretended to be a boy at school. It wasn't because I liked to cross dress or something like that, I needed to do this in order to join the Raimon soccer club.

I had wanted to join the soccer club at my previous school, but they didn't want mixed teams and there weren't enough girls to form an all-girls team. Eventually, after many pleas, they let me join the boy's team for their regular practice. I wasn't allowed to play in the competition, though, but I was content. That changed, however, when I noticed that they didn't pass the ball to me. Not at all! That's why I quit, for I joined the soccer club to play soccer, not to get ignored by those cocky male players! That was also the reason why I asked my parents to register me as a boy in my new school.

It wasn't hard for me to join the soccer club, I only had to answer one question: Do you love soccer?" I had never imagined that it could be so easy to join, especially after the many entrance exams they made me take at my previous school. _I'm sure they wouldn't have been so easy on me if they knew I'm a girl_.

Joining the soccer club didn't make it easier to keep my secret, since I always had to make up excuses as to why I wouldn't change with them in one room, but it was worth it. I was finally able to play as much soccer as I wanted.

However, another problem showed up recently. I, erm... I kind of started to develop feelings for one of my teammates. As if hiding my gender wasn't bothersome enough yet. His name was Tsurugi Kyousuke, a silent first year with really powerful shots. He was a forward, just like me, and when we played against other teammates during practice, the both of us were often in the same team.

But no matter how much it hurt, I forced myself to forget about him. I had to pay the price for my decision and I didn't want to quit soccer, just because I had a crush on this guy who probably didn't even like me back. Telling anyone that I was a girl was completely out of the question, so I couldn't tell him how I felt.

* * *

><p><span><strong>Saturday<strong>

_Ding Dong._

"I'm coming!" I yelled as I ran to the door. I swung it open and froze on the spot. There were three people standing there: Matsukaze Tenma, Nishizono Shinsuke and Tsurugi Kyousuke. Tenma fortunately didn't notice my shock as he beamed a smile at me.

"Hello, I'm Matsukaze Tenma. Say, does [l/n] Kyoichi live here by any chance?"

"W-what?" I managed to stammer.

"Oh, so he doesn't? That's a shame. I'm sorry for bothering you," Tenma said and he bowed. The three wanted to turn around and walk away, but I stopped them in time.

"Wait. He... He does indeed live here. Kyoichi is my brother, but I'm afraid he's not here at the moment. Can I pass a message or something like that?" I improvised.

"When will he be back? Err... what was your name again?"

"[f/n]. I'm [l/n] [f/n]. And Kyoichi-nii didn't say when he would be back. Why? Is there something wrong?"

"No, not at all," Tenma smiled. "It's just that we're meeting with a few teammates to play a bit and we thought that [l/n] might want to tag along. But I'll guess we'll see him Monday in school then. See you later, maybe."

"It was nice to meet you, [l/n] [f/n]," Tsurugi said in a soft tone before he turned around to follow the other two boys. It was the first thing he said and my cheeks heated up immediately.

"A-ah. N-nice to meet you too, Tsurugi," I replied, but I didn't think he heard me. When I closed the door, I leaned with me back against it and let out a frustrated sigh as I sank to the ground. Taking some time to study my feelings, I noticed that my heart beat faster than usual and that my insides were tangled. On the whole, I felt like I could run a marathon or something. Why were my feelings so bothersome?

* * *

><p><strong><span>Monday<span>**

"Hey [l/n]," Tenma greeted as he entered the club room with Shinsuke and Tsurugi. I was the only one who was here and I had already fully changed into my soccer uniform.

"Ugh, hey Tenma."

"What's wrong?"

"I got tons of math homework. I'm afraid that I have to leave a little earlier, or else I won't make it."

"Aah, that's too bad," Shinsuke pouted. "Ne, let's do our best then as long as you're there!"

"Yeah."

"Oi, [l/n]," Tsurugi called out. When I looked up to him, I saw he didn't wear his shirt yet. His bare, muscled torso was sexily curved into a six-pack and I felt the sudden need to touch it. Good thing I wasn't standing close to him, or else I might not have been able to help myself. Anyway, the sight of the pale skin of his chest was enough to give me bright red cheeks. "I didn't know that you had a sister."

With quite some difficulty - more than I expected - I adverted my gaze from his body in order to look him in the eye. "Eh, yeah."

"Is she in Raimon too? She seems old enough."

"E-eh, n-no. She goes to a d-different school."

"What other school?" God, what was this, a cross-examination? I hadn't thought of any answers to these questions! _I need to buy some time._

"Why do you want to know so badly?"

It remained silent for a few seconds while Tsurugi studied my heated face with narrowed eyes. "She's cute." Now _this_ caught me completely off-guard.

"Tsurugi only talked about her between classes," Shinsuke giggled. "I think he's in lo-"

"Shut up!" Tsurugi snapped. In the meantime, the blush on my cheeks had probably darkened tenfold, by the feel of it. _Tsurugi just called me cute?_ Immediately, the butterflies in my belly fluttered up again. _Great, just what I needed__,_ I thought sourly. No matter how much it hurt to do, I had to talk this out of his head. What if he found out about the gender-hiding thing?

"Sorry man, but my s-sister isn't really ehm, i-into guys at the moment," I said while trying - in vain - not to stutter. Tsurugi studied my face for a while, which made me only more nervous, and smirked mischievously.

"I think I can change that," he said full of confidence.

_Not helping, Tsurugi. Not helping at all. _"Gross! Dude, it's my sister we're talking about!" He only raised an eyebrow at this.

"Minna, let's head out for practice," Shindou said. He opened the door and walked towards the field, followed by the others. Tsurugi smirked to himself once more as he pushed himself off from the lockers. He walked past me, but slowed down when he almost reached me. Without looking at me, he said:

"That's a nice blush you have there, [l/n]~" Then he left the room and I was alone.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Tuesday<span>**

"[l/n], pass it to Kurama!" The order came from Shindou, Raimon's former captain, who was the captain of our team at the moment. At the end of each practice, the group was always split in two teams who would play a match together. Tsurugi and I were usually on the same team, but not today. Today, I was on Shindou's team and Tsurugi was my opponent.

And I was kind of grateful for that, because my navy haired crush had really freaked me out with his behaviour yesterday. Even thinking about it covered my whole body in goosebumps!

I passed the ball to Kurama, who dashed past the defence line. He prepared himself to use his hissatsu technique and soon, the ball was racing towards the goal. Shinsuke, the goalkeeper for Tenma's team, needed a lot of effort, but he managed to stop the ball in the end. He immediately passed it to Tenma and in the blink of an eye, the ball was on the other side of the field. "Damn," I scowled while sprinting back.

Tsurugi got the ball and prepared himself to shoot. He was still pretty far away from the goal, but his shoots were really powerful. I was as far away from him as the others in my team, but I was faster than them. Speed was my strong point after all: I was the fastest on the team. Right now, I was the only one who could stop Tsurugi. I dashed forward and cleared the ball with a sliding.

I sighed contently as I saw the ball roll over the line, but it wasn't over yet. Apparently, my sliding had put Tsurugi off balance and he fell down... _RIGHT ON TOP OF ME! _My face instantly heated up as the air was pushed out of my body by the impact.

But I couldn't really be bothered by that, because our faces were _this_ close to each other and so were our lips... And since my crushing feelings for him still hadn't died down, my heartrate sped up (which he could feel since he laid on top of me) and my face was flustered (which he could see clearly since he was so close).

"Uh, T-Tsurugi... Can y-you g-get off please?"

He raised himself up with his arms, but didn't go off me yet. Instead, he studied my red face and smirked. His arms were on both of my sides, so I couldn't escape at all.

"You're blushing again, [l/n]~"

* * *

><p><span><strong>Thursday<strong>

"I'll be going now, Endou-kantoku," I said while you bowed. It was five minutes before practice ended, so I had to change fast.

"Yosh, see you tomorrow, [l/n]," he replied and I ran towards the soccer building. I opened my locker to get my uniform. Then I heard that the doors slid open and as I turned around to face whoever entered the room, my heart skipped a beat. It was Tsurugi. _God, please, not now. Why don't you have mercy with me?_

"Ts-Tsurugi! What are you doing here?"

"I'm not feeling so well, so I left a little earlier."

"And you leave five minutes earlier than usual? That's nonsense. If you don't feel well, then you shouldn't attend practice at all."

"Heh." He turned and opened his locker before he shot me another glance. "Don't you have to change as well? Won't you be late for your job?"

"E-eh... Well... Er... You see... Anno..." I couldn't get a word out and stared to the ground. What could I say? Why wasn't I better at improvising? Why hadn't I thought of something in case a situation like this one would happen?

Tsurugi snapped me out of my thoughts by pushing me against the locker with his hands on my shoulders. He used not enough force to hurt me, but enough to keep me in place. As he leaned in, decreasing the distance between our lips, I squeaked: "What are you doing?!" Needless to say, I was freaked out from his behaviour!

"Just wait and find out yourself." Oh god, his voice was husky! It sounded so sexy that my knees went weak and I pressed myself closer against the lockers to remain standing. His face was so close to mine that I could count his eyelashes. His golden eyes glowed like a setting sun and made me feel so warm inside. What wouldn't I give to just lean in to his touch and kiss him back? _Why wouldn't I?_ a little voice piped up. _It's not like I can get away from him._ I wanted to listen to that voice so badly, but the little conscious I still had pulled me back. _No, I need to stop him!_

"I never knew you were gay!" I yelled, hoping that the negative attention that was given to that word would scare him away. Unfortunately, it didn't. His smirk only widened at my words, as if I told him a hilarious joke. I heard how the doors slid open and realized that the other teammates came in. Every noise stopped when they discovered Tsurugi and me and even Tsurugi's - very close - face blocked my view of them, I knew they were staring at us. My cheeks immediately grew darker, and they were already pretty red to begin with.

Tsurugi didn't seem to notice or to care about their presence, though. I took shaky breaths as his lips came closer to mine. However, only an inch away from my trembling lips, he stopped. "You know, you're rather cute when you're blushing." His right hand moved from my shoulder to my wig and he gently stroke it. However, as he reached the end of the strand he had been stroking, he gave it a firm tug and before I could do anything, my wig slid off. My own [h/c] hair, which had been folded up underneath the wig, fell loosely over my shoulders. "But you're much cuter without the wig, [l/n] [f/n]."

I stared at the boy before me with widened eyes. He smiled, leaned back and retrieved his arms so that I could get out. The sound of numerous gasps broke my trance and I turned around to see the whole team staring at me. _This... This can't be right, can it? It must be a nightmare... But it's not, I... I need to get away._

I dashed towards the door and the boys immediately parted to make way for me. I ran through the empty hall, down the stairs and past the soccer field. I went through the school gate and reached my home within minutes. I didn't even greet my mother before I ran upstairs and locked myself in my room. _What now?_

* * *

><p><span><strong>Friday<strong>

I watched them as they attended their morning practice. I held the Raimon soccer uniform in my hands, washed and neatly folded. I had planned to return it to them before practice started, but I simply couldn't. It had felt so good to play in a team again. Now that was over.

I sighed as I blinked away the tears that threatened to fall. There was no point in waiting any longer. Slowly, like a robot, I walked down the stairs. They noticed me when I was around halfway there and stopped with their practice to watch me. I felt their stares on my as I slowly made my way to the bench area. I tried to imagine how this would look for them: their teammate, who they knew for over a month, suddenly turned out to be a girl. Since there was no need anymore to pretend, I wore Raimon's girl's uniform today.

Endou looked up to me, his arms crossed and his gaze stern. As handed him my uniform and bowed, I softly muttered: "Gomen for all the trouble I caused." I tried hard to fight back my tears. It surprised me I still had tears left in my body, since I had cried all night about my blown cover. Then I turned around and bowed to the team as well before I walked away.

"Hold it, [l/n]," Endou said. I turned around, not sure what to expect of him. He stood up and walked towards me, towering over me. I got the feeling that he was a giant and I was a mere bug. Soon he would raise his foot and squash me underneath it. I gulped and waited for what he had to say, though I expected the worst. "You know that there are certain rules on this school regarding the soccer club?" he asked sternly.

"Hai, Endou-san."

"One of the rules that I think is very important for this team to follow..." he started and I unconsciously pulled my shoulders up and closed my eyes, as if I expected a hit from him. I knew that he would never hit me - he was too kind for that - but his next words would certainly seem like a hit to me. He would say that girls aren't allowed in the boy's team and that I should be ashamed of myself for deceiving everyone like that. "...is every player that is late for practice has to run two extra laps for every five minutes he or she is late."

My head snapped up so fast that it hurt my neck and your eyes grew until they were the size of an apple. As for my mouth, I think I almost reached the center of the earth with my chin. I could only stare at my coach as he gave me his signature grin. _Is he... serious?_ He tossed me the uniform I had just given to him and I caught it, snapping out of my daze. "You better get changed and join us," he smiled.

"You... You don't mind?" I asked carefully. "You don't mind it that I'm a girl?"

"Of course not. The terms for entering the team don't change. I have seen that you truly love soccer, so why would I mind it?"

I turned to the team members, who were all smiling at me. "You don't mind it either?" Their smiles widened and it slowly got through to me. _They really don't mind._

Overjoyed, I did the first thing that came into your mind: I stepped forward and hugged Endou-kantoku tightly. He was surprised by my actions and so was I, but he simply patted my head. "There, there. Now hurry up and change, okay?"

"Hai!" I chirped with tears in my eyes. "Arigatou gozaimasu!" I turned around and sprinted towards the soccer building, changed into my uniform and sprinted back. All of this didn't take me longer than three minutes, which was a new personal record for me.

In total, I was ten minutes late, so I had to run four extra laps, but I did those with pleasure. I felt like I could take on the entire world. After I finished my laps, I was paired up with Tsurugi for an assignment: one player had the ball and had to pass the other, who would try to steal or clear the ball. Tsurugi was already waiting for me and as I approached him, I felt how the knot in my intestines tightened slightly.

"Don't think that it's okay to slack off now that you're a girl," he stated arrogantly and he smirked at me as he rolled the ball to me. I simply rolled my eyes and placed my foot on it, keeping it in place.

"I was a girl all this time, baka."

"Oh, you know what I mean."

"I do. And don't think that you'll remain the ace striker for long after today."

"Those are big words for a little girl."

"Just wait and see."

I dashed forward with the ball at my feet and started to battle with him for the ball. I kicked it up, down, back, forth, left and right to keep it and Tsurugi was obviously having a hard time stealing it from me. He did it in the end though and he passed me with the ball at his feet, our arms touched and I felt a small electric current underneath my skin.

"I see, you're nothing but big words, aren't you?" he teased.

"Ne Tsurugi?"

"Hmm?"

"How did you know? When did you find it out?"

"Heh." He paused. "Remember when we came to your house to ask for your 'brother'?" My cheeks heated up at the mention of your lie, but I nodded. "Well, when we went away, you said my name, even though I hadn't introduced myself. It bugged me, so I tried to find out what was going on. I wasn't sure, so I decided that I had to test my theory. These past few days were just tests to see how you would respond. Talking about you, falling on top of you..."

"Wait, you did that on purpose?" His smirk answered my question and I felt a spark of anger in my chest. Not only had that been really embarrassing on my part, it had also hurt when he fell down on me. He wasn't exactly featherlight.

As I mentally conducted my rant for him, he dashed forward with the ball and caught me by surprise. I immediately dived in when you realized he was continuing the assignment and we had a fierce battle over the ball, none of us able to keep it in possession for a long time. I thought about a way to pass the tall boy, since I couldn't let it slide that he had stolen it from me last time.

_"She's cute."_

_"That's a nice blush you have there, [l/n]~"_

_"You're blushing again, [l/n]~"_

_"You know? You're rather cute when you're blushing."_

Tsurugi's words from the past few days echoed through my mind and I suddenly got an idea. The ball was in my possession right now, but instead of dribbling, I kept still and placed my foot on it. I used it as a staircase to reach his height, since he was about a head taller than I was. Before he could protest - or do anything at all - I crashed my lips against his, at the same time trying to keep my balance on the wobbly ball. He was surprised, but soon started to kiss me back. I was relieved that he indeed returned my feelings for him, as I had suspected, and relaxed my body a bit. That was a mistake, because the ball rolled away and we had to break our kiss sooner than I liked. I would have fallen face-first to the ground if Tsurugi hadn't caught me in time.

"I thought you said you weren't interested in guys at the moment?" he said.

"I thought you said you were going to change that?" I replied cheekily. His eyes twinkled.

"My pleasure," he whispered before our lips touched again. Neither of us knew who started it, but suddenly, our tongues were dancing around each other. His embrace tightened and he ran with his fingers through my soft hair. Honestly, that felt great. The idea that it was him who touched me there sent a pleasurous shiver down my spine.

I would have sunk even deeper into the new world he showed me with his kiss, if it hadn't been for the loud whistle that was heard over the field. Startled from the noise, we broke apart and looked at the bench. Midori had the plastic whistle between her lips and smirked deviously at us. "[l/n], Tsurugi!" Endou-kantoku called sternly, causing the attention of all our teammates to shift to us. "Cut that out and continue the assignment. You can kiss after practice, got it?"

"H-hai!" I yelled while blushing bright red. Seriously, did he have to yell it so loud?

"Great, let's play a little match then. Gather around, then we'll devide the teams."

As we all walked towards him, Tsurugi's hand enveloped mine and I couldn't help but smile brightly. Tsurugi and I were chosen for different teams, sadly. Instead of the usual boasting we did when we were on different teams, I simply leaned forward and pecked his lips.

"Good luck," I whispered over the whistles from our teammates.

"You too."

After the whistle started, we were enemies, rivals, opponents... But as soon the match ended, all teammates found us kissing in the middle of the field.

* * *

><p><strong>Me: So yeah, bit long, but I hope you enjoyed it.. <strong>

**Matatagi: Please leave a review minna. Critics and advises are very much appreciated. Vote for your favourite character for the story after mine. And make sure that you'll read that next one too, because it's about me and I think it's gonna be really good and-**

**Me: That's enough, Matatagi *grabs his ear and drags him away* Bye minna!**


	5. Matatagi Hayato

**Me: Hello minna! Here's Matatagi's chapter, as promised last time. I have never read this kind of Matatagi x reader fanfic on this site, but if you wrote something like this... well... Love the concept, dude! ^^ Okay, I don't own this show. Enjoy!**

**P.s. The ending might not be all too happy (you're still going to kiss though~)**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Matatagi Hayato ~ Star crossed lovers<strong>_

* * *

><p>I sat in my secret place, crying my eyes out. Why, you ask? Because I had lost a soccer match. Don't get me wrong, I usually don't cry over losing, but... this wasn't just any match. This match had great consequenses. My friends, my family and my entire planet had to pay the price now that we had lost. That was the rule of the Grand Celesta Galaxy Tournament.<p>

I was scared, but can you blame me? Tears streamed down my light blue cheeks as I slowly calmed down and thought about the match I just had.

It had started very well, but it ended with 3 - 2. Sazanaara's loss, our loss.

If the consequences didn't weigh so heavy, I would've enjoyed the challenge those earthlings gave our team. Even though we had the advantage of seeing their minds, which enabled us to predict where they would pass, they managed to beat us. They suddenly did all kinds of things without thinking, and we weren't able to predict anything... It made our heads spin and made us wonder why on Sazanaara he would do that... I remember that I thought: _Earthlings arew weird,_ and then before I knew it, they'd scored and we had lost...

I sat there in silence for a while, calming myself down in the process. Then I heard footsteps behind me and peeked at the intruder. A big surprise awaited me: it was Earth Eleven's captain. He walked to the lake and prepared himself to dive.

"What are you doing?" I asked, and he flinched and turned around. We looked at each other, two different creatures, for the first time really seeing each other.

"A-anno," he started. "I wanted to get that stone." He pointed at the middle of the lake, where a blue gem was emitting a dull light.

"That stone belongs to this place, you can't have it. Not even after you won today," I said while scowling. That they had won didn't mean that I would let them destroy the beauty of this place.

"I'm sorry about that," he said while looking down. I didn't need to ask what he meant or look him in the eyes, because I already saw what he meant in his Azul. He was sad that he won over us, he was sad that we had to die.

"What do you want with it anyways?" I said while walking closer. He hesitated, but I raised my hand to stop him from speaking. I already knew it now. "I see. And do really believe that?"

He gave me a shocked look, but then he remembered what I could do and nodded. I made a decision. Later, I might want to smack myself for doing this, but now I just wanted to trust him. "Alright, I'll get it for you. I don't think you can handle the cold water as well as I can." Without waiting for his reply, I dived in. The water embraced me and I enjoyed it. I had yearned for a swim. With all that soccer practice the past few months, I had had barely any time for swimming. De pressure of the water on my body increased, but it didn't bother me much. I took the gem and swam back to the earthling, feeling the warm stone radiating in my palm. I had never touched it before, but now that I did, I noticed that it vibrated slightly. It made me feel warm inside, like the stone loved me even though I had failed to protect anyone. Shaking my head to get rid of those weird thoughts, I sped up and climbed out of the water. I reluctantly handed him the stone, for I wanted to hold it longer. But I realized that it would be better in their hands, so I let go.

"Arigatou... But why?"

"Because I see that you believe that you can save everyone. And I want to believe it too. I want to have hope," I smiled. "Can I please go with you to the others? I'd like to apologise to someone." He nodded and I walked with him in silence.

"Anno... What is your name?"

"I'm [l/n] [f/n]"

"I'm Matsukaze Tenma."

* * *

><p>"...And that's what happened," Tenma explained to his teammates. They were staring at me like I was a dangerous animal that would kill them when they looked away. Some of them were even thinking that, I noticed with a sweatdrop.<p>

"I won't be here for long if you are so bothered by it," I said and sighed. "I just wanted to apologize for what we did. Especially to that boy. Where is he?"

"Ah, Matatagi-kun is talking to his brothers right now," a pink haired girl said. I believe she was called Nozazaki something... Wait, Nozaki Sakura, that was her name! "He'll be right back, you can wait here if you want." I nodded and sat down at one of the tables, trying to ignore the stares I received. I actually wanted that they could read my Azul right now, so that I could point out their rudeness without being impolite myself.

Then the doors slid open to reveal Matatagi. "Kusaka, it's your tu... What is she doing here?" The blue spikes were still visible between his brown locks of hair and I guess that they won't disappear anymore. Now that his true self was accepted by all of his teammates, he had no reason to hide that part. His dark orbs travelled over my body and I really wished I could find out what he thought. He was the only one whose feelings I couldn't see anymore, which made him really mysterious.

"I came to apologise." Squinting my eyes, I tried to give it another shot and I focussed on his Azul. never had I seen such a powerful one before and it picked my curiosity. But his Azul was simply too powerful and I moaned softly as I rubbed my temples. "Not a good idea," I groaned to myself.

"There's no point in apologizing if you keep doing it," Manabe stated matter-of-factly while he touched his glasses.

"But I didn't apologize for reading your Azuls," I protested. "I apologized for trying to make these two self destruct."

"What do you mean by that?" Minaho asked.

"You are the one who made our heads spin today, aren't you?" I pouted and smiled tiredly at him. "That was an interesting tactic."

"Ignoring the question won't help, you know," Matatagi said from behind me, and as I turned towards him, he asked: "What did you mean by self destruct?"

"Well, it's just that his Azul is really pretty," I smiled while pointing to Tenma, "like a little sun. And yours was all messy and ugly, so Powai-sama wanted to pit them toghether and make you two self destruct. We agreed, because it seemed like great fun!"

"...I see, I guess... And an Azul is someone's mind?"

"Yup, it's the shape and colour of your mind that we can see! When you're happy or satisfied or enthusiastic, your Azul will have a happy colour and a soft shape. But when you're angry or jealous, it will be dark and messy and ugly. Yours is still very interesting, I've never seen anything like it."

"He? Then what does it look like?" Nozaki asked enthusiastically. I took a piece of paper and a pencil from my pocket and drew it for them, which resulted in some weird looks towards Matatagi.

"Oi, oi, cut it out!" he said, a small blush on his cheeks. I thought it was rather cute and suddenly I was glad that they couldn't read my Azul. That would've been embarrassing! I had never had so much privacy before, because I always knew that everyone could read what I thought. My private thoughts were never for me alone.

"It's like a dinosaur..." Shinsuke said.

"Scary..." Konoha commented softly.

"But now it is really powerful," I beamed happily. "At first, it was really messy, but now that it is in this shape, it means that he is determined enough to bind his negative feelings and thoughts and enjoy the positive ones as well. That's why it's so interesting, but it hurts when you look closely at it. That makes you interesting as well, because now I can't read what you think."

"Ne, what do our Azuls look like?" Nozaki asked again, and I drew a second person. This person had a small green orb around it's head.

"Like this," I giggled. "And your captain's Azul looks like this. Reeaaaaally big, like a little sun." I giggled and laughed as I drew their Azuls.

"How can you read these Azuls, then?" Manabe asked.

"Well... Anno... I don't know exactly. I just look at them and then I hear that person's thoughts. Not only what they're thinking right now, but also things that determine who they are, like certain memories. For example, I know how Nozaki's parents always pushed her to to be the best and how Tenma is always so happy. That's why his Azul is so pretty."

"Tsk," I heard someone say, but I didn't know who said it. I tried to find it in their Azuls - skipping Matatagi's, because that one hurt - but then shrugged it off. It wasn't really important, so why bother about it?

"So, when will you go to the next planet?" I asked.

"You're rather cheery after a match like that," Tetskado commented.

"Of course, it was a great match, wasn't it?" I smiled, but I knew what he meant. The consequenses of our loss. I sighed and managed a shaky smile. "I was really upset at first, but now I accept it. You are going to save the galaxy, aren't you? Then everything should be fine. And if you aren't going to save us... Well, then I have to die soon, so I better enjoy the time I still have, ne?"

"So carefree," Nozaki muttered.

"So, when are you leaving?" I asked again.

"I believe it's three days from now, since the Galaxy Nauts Gou needs repairs," Aoi said.

My smile was so broad that it threatened to split my face in half. "Then, let me take you to some beautiful places here on Sazanaara. I bet you haven't seen a lot of our planet yet."

* * *

><p>The three days passed by in the blink of an eye. I showed them around Sazanaara, choosing the most precious sights I knew. My teammates didn't understand why I still 'put effort in those earthlings', as they voiced it, but I didn't mind them. They didn't know... how I felt around those earthlings. Especially around Matatagi.<p>

He picked my interest all the time, since I couldn't find out what he was thinking. Not without getting a throbbing head, that is. I wished that I knew what was going on in his head, but there was only one way to figure that out... My cheeks heated up at the thought and I turned away so that the earthlings wouldn't discover my evident blush. I knew that my cheeks were dark blue (my blood was blue as well, so my whole face became ultramarine when I blushed).

"Oi, oi, [l/n], what's wrong?" Matatagi's voice perked up from out of nowhere and startled me to death.

"God, stop that," I yelled as I playfully hit his arm. "You give me a heartattack!"

He chuckled. "Is that a blush I see?"

I felt my cheeks darken and turned away. "N-no, it's not."

"Funny, people on earth always say a blushing person resembles a tomato, since his or her face is bright red. I wonder what they would call you right now."

"I told you I'm not blushing!"

"Sure, sure," he said while walking away.

"Aargh, Matatagi," I pouted. Then I stopped. "You're leaving today, aren't you?" He froze as well.

Without turning around to me, he said: "Yes, we are."

It remained silent for a while and I figured I should say something - anything - to encourage him. "Good luck with your next matches."

"Match_es_? You have quite some confidence in us."

"O-of course I have confidence in you. You are going to win and save the galaxy after all."

"Yes, that's right. But what if we fail?"

"Don't be like that, you won't-"

"What if we did, [l/n]. Would you hate us for it?"

I thought about his question for a while. Would I hate Earth Eleven if they couldn't save me and my planet? Would I hate Matatagi for it? "No, I wouldn't." My blush came back and he grinned as he looked at me over his shoulder.

"And you're still denying that you're blushing?"

"You... I... Aargh, let's just go back to the station, or else you'll be late." I grabbed his arm and pulled him along, his teammates following behind. When we were all back at the train station, I turned to them. Just like them, I had really no clue how we should say goodbye.

"Thank you for everything, [l/n]-san," Shindou said eventually and he shook my hand.

"No problem, I'm glad that you'll leave this planet without all those ugly thoughts about us." I looked to the sky, not able to look them in the eyes without bursting into tears. "It's too bad that I didn't have more time to get to know you, though. I think it would be very fun to play soccer with you again. Wait, I know! You do your best in the next matches, you win this tournament, safe the galaxy and then come back so I can have a rematch, deal?" I extended my hand to Tenma, who shook it eagerly.

"Deal."

My eyes wandered around to find Matatagi, but he refused to look at me. That made me rather sad, but I decided not to let it show. "Well, well, ain't this a nice moment. Please stop, I'm going all sentimental," someone said behind me and I tensed up when I recognised the voice. When I turned around, my suspicions were confirmed: Hilary Flail, the member from Faram Orbius' Shittenou that had helped us in our match against Earth Eleven.

I didn't like her. _Not. At. All._ Not only was this woman sadistic, mean and sarcastic, she was also the cause that my best friend, Sarama Salasa, was now in the hospital. Hilary Flail had used her hair to drain Salasa-san's life force, so that Hilary herself could play in the match. My eyes narrowed as I stood protectively in front of the earthlings.

"What do you want?"

"Just saying my goodbyes and wishing Earth Eleven good luck," she provoked sarcastically. I felt more than I saw how a few people behind me took a step forward. I stopped them with a stern movement of my hand. This woman was obviously planning to hurt Earth Eleven's players.

"Here you go again," I said, smiling like you knew everything about her. "Saying things that you don't really mean."

Her eyes widened in anger and in a flash, saw in her Azul what she was going to do. She moved her hair backwards and swung it towards the earthling that was the furthest away from me, and thus the one that was the least shielded by my body.

Matatagi Hayato.

I sprinted towards him, but I knew I would be too late to push him away. So I did the only thing that could stop the danger right now: I jumped. As I collided with her hair, it immediately wrapped itself around my body.

For a second, nothing happened. Then came the pain. I screamed, unable to move my body as the pain ran through me. It was like being electrocuted, like an invissible force tore a piece from my soul. When the hair finally retrieved, I fell to the ground, too weak to use my legs. However, before I hit the ground, someone caught me and slowly lowered me.

Matatagi's face came in your sight and he gave me a worried look. "[l/n], are you alright?" I wanted to reply, but talking took too much of my energy.

"Tsk, stupid imp," I heard Hilary curse as she positioned her hair for another attack. However, she disappeared from my view before she could do that. It took me a few seconds to realize that someone stood between us.

"That's enough, miss Hilary," an all too familiar voice said. Hilary grumbled, but realized she was now terribly outnumbered and walked away. My rescuer turned around and smiled at me. "Sorry we're so late, [l/n]-sama." In front of me stood Van Tareru, Sazanaara Eleven's keeper. He was accompanied by my other teammates and I can honestly say that I have never been so happy to see them.

"What happened to her?" Matatagi asked slightly panicked as two people helped me up. I leaned heavily on them, still not able to talk. Heck, I was barely able to remain awake!

"Hilary Flail's hair has the ability to drain one's life energy," Van Tareru explained. "She was clearly aiming for you. If it wasn't for [l/n], it would've been you who laid there like that."

"[l/n]..." Matatagi breathed. I did the best I could to keep on looking in his eyes, but it was hard to keep my head up all the time. The next moment, Matatagi hugged me. Not just a friendly hug, but a hug that was so tight that it was like he was planning to never let me go again. I felt something wet in my neck and realized that Matatagi was crying. "[l/n]... Why did you do that? Why on earth did you do that for me?" he sobbed in my ear as he hugged me even tighter, if that was possible.

I wished I could voice my thoughts, but I was just to exhausted to do that.

"Because she loves you," Powai-sama said.

"What?"

"Hihi, don't give me that look. She thinks about you all the time," my captain giggled and my cheeks heated up once more. I felt how Matatagi slowly released me and supported me in a way that he could look me in the eye.

"[l/n], is that true?"

"Yes," I whispered, exhausted from just saying that. Matatagi smiled.

"Good," he said, before he leaned in and kissed me. It was an awkward kiss, since my teammates stood very close to catch me if I would fall. But I soon forgot about all of that. A wave of warmth flooded through my body. Feelings that I hadn't felt before, memories that I had never made... I felt them all, deep inside of me. I smiled in the kiss, because I knew what was happening.

Matatagi's Azul was melting together with mine.

When we broke our kiss, Matatagi looked at me in surprise. "What is that?" he asked, pointing at my Azul.

"You can see it?" I panted surprised. He nodded, ignoring the looks his teammates gave him (which were the kind of looks you give to someone who lost his mind).

"That's an Azul," Powai-sama explained. "That's interesting, I never knew earthlings could see Azuls too when their Azul is melted together with one of our Azuls."

"Anno... What is happening?" Tenma asked, clearly clueless about the whole situation.

"It happens when two people kiss," Tareru explained. "The Azuls of those two people melt together, which means that your thoughts are the same as theirs for a moment. That's why people enjoy kissing so much, I guess. When you kiss someone, you can 'feel' if that person really loves you or not and things like that. In reality, it's a fusion of Azuls."

"And Matatagi-kun is now able to see Azuls as well?" Minaho asked. "That's interesting."

"She was right, Captain," Matatagi smirked. "Yours really looks like a little sun."

We all laughed about the joke and Matatagi pulled me a little closer. He was now standing next to me, one arm resting around my waist. I rested my head on his shoulder and enjoyed his scent. I tried to take in as much of him as possible, because I knew what would happen next.

Earth Eleven had to move on to the next planet. I had to stay here. It was inevitable.

"[f/n]... I have to go now," Matatagi said. It seems like he realized it as well.

"Kick their ass, you hear?" I said as the tears ran down my cheeks. "Do your best out there and win." I closed the gap between our lips and kissed him once more. I didn't care about how I looked in front of the others. This was my last moment with Matatagi, the last kiss I would probably ever get from him, and I wanted to treasure it with all my heart.

When we broke the kiss, we kept on staring in each other's eyes. "Matatagi, we really have to leave now," Nozaki called out. Everyone else had already entered the Galaxy Nauts Gou, they were only waiting for Matatagi.

"Come with me," he said quickly. "Come with me, we'll go together." His offer was so tempting, but I knew that I couldn't accept it. Yes, I would be with him, but what would be the prize? I would betray my home. I knew that would be impossible for me, regardless of how much I loved Matatagi.

"I can't," I said said regretfully. I grabbed his shoulders and squeezed them tightly. "I can't leave this place. But don't think about that anymore. After all, you are going to save the galaxy, right? I just know you will."

"Matatagi!"

"You have to leave now," I said, taking a step back. "So I guess this is goodbye, huh?"

"No, it's not," he said. "This is not goodbye, [f/n]. This is so long." With those words, he took a step forward, kissed me one last time on the cheek and walked backwards towards the Galaxy Nauts Gou. It started moving as soon as he entered it, but we didn't break the eye contact.

* * *

><p>My teammates figured that I wanted to be alone and left without another word, while I just kept on staring in the night sky. It had been hours since he left, but I still hadn't moved. My eyes were locked to the spot where he had entered a warp hole and disappeared. My lips were forming the same words over and over.<p>

"So long, Matatagi Hayato."

* * *

><p><strong>Me: Uwaa, that's done. Sorry for the depressing end, minna, but I just had to publish this, so yeah. I hope you enjoyed being an alien for once (fits the title, don't you think?).<strong>

**Matatagi: :'{**

**Me: Hmm? What's wrong Matatagi?**

**Matatagi: You give everyone a happy ending, exept for me?! Why! *bursts into tears***

**Me: *sweatdrop* Please review, minna.**

**[Edit: Oh my god, why was I ever enthusiastic about this? It's terrible! /.\ Anyways, I'm leaving it as it is, but I hope you at least enjoyed it a little :3]**


	6. Kirino Ranmaru

**Me: Hello, minna-san! Yet another update from me :p I****t's Kirino's turn.**

**Kirino: *looks up from his book* Huh? What?**

**Me: You're gonna get paired up with all these lovely readers :3**

**Kirino: Okay *continues reading***

**Me: Ehehe, Kirino-kun... -.-' Ah well, I can't blame you (this is also how I am most of the time :p)**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Inazuma Eleven, because it belongs to Level 5. The books mentioned in this story are real books (some of my favourites :3) and belong to their respective authors. **

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><p><em><strong>Kirino Ranmaru ~ No words can describe<strong>_

* * *

><p>"Alright, you are dismissed," the homeroom teacher said as the bell rang. Lunch break. You put your stuff into your bag and rushed out of class. You weren't heading to the cafeteria though. Instead, you headed to the study area on the second floor.<p>

During test periods, it was often crowded with students who were studying for their next test, but now, it was almost deserted. There were two other students, who were working on the computer. The area with the tables was empty. _Perfect._ You liked it this way, for it reminded you of the public library.

There was a library in school as well, of course, but that was closed now due to renovations. It was a huge handicap for you, but you managed to get around. And that was pretty much because you found this place. It was actually forbidden for you to be there, since it was the study area for the upperclassmen and you were still a first year, but you figured it was okay since you weren't bothering anyone.

You sat down at one of the tables and fished a book from your bag. You only started it yesterday, but you were already halfway. Quite impressive, since it wasn't a really thin book. You had intended to save it for the weekend, but you just couldn't hold yourself back when you saw it on your cupboard yesterday.

The story was so intriguing that you just couldn't put your book down, so you brought it with you to school today. It was about a boy who played a computer game and had to fulfill tasks for that in real life. Although you were certain that there had to be a logical explaination for all of this, it just seemed like magic to you. So you were eager to find out what was really going on and the minute you opened the book, you were completely oblivious to your surroundings.

That was why you didn't notice him until it was too late. "Heh? What are you reading, [l/n]-san?" Your head shot up as you heard his voice and that moment, he took a few steps forward and snatched your book from the table.

"Kariya! Give that back!" you yelled. Yup, it was your classmate, Kariya Masaki, famous and infamous for his pranks. You had been his victim more than once, since you were very quiet and often spaced out to 'your own world', as your mother called it. This made you an easy target for pranksters like Kariya.

"[l/n]-san, shame on you. You should know not to bother the senpais when they're working."

"Can you please give my book back?" you pleaded, a tad softer now. He smirked as he looked at the object in his hand.

"Erebos?" he laughed mockingly. "What's that, some sort of food?"

"No, it's a computer game."

"A computer game, huh? Never knew you were so much into those, [l/n]."

"I'm not, it's just a book," you said as you tried to snatch it away from him. But he saw through your attempt and raised his arm so that you couldn't reach it anymore. Kariya wasn't exactly a tall guy, but you were the smallest girl in the class, so you still couldn't reach it.

"Just a book, eh? Well, then I guess it's alright if I do _this_!" He laughed as he tossed it in the direction of the trash bin. Your eyes widened in horror. Who knew what dirty things were already in there? Sticky chewing gum, melted chocolate bars, half empty cups of tea, coffee or whatever...

But your book never touched any of those, for it was caught by someone who walked just past the bin. You sighed in relief as Kariya growled.

"Is anything wrong here?" the person asked.

"Nothing is wrong, Kirino-senpai," Kariya said. "Endou-kantoku just sent me to tell the seniors that this afternoon's practice is canceled due to an appointment of his." He shrugged and walked away. Kirino turned to you.

"I believe that this is yours, I'm sorry for that boy's actions." He frowned and looked at the place where Kariya was a few seconds ago. He stretched his hand to give you the book, but then pulled it back as he read the title. "Erebos? Don't tell me that you're the one who borrowed it at the library just before I could," he laughed and pouted. You laughed as well.

"No, this is my own, I bought it yesterday."

"And you're already this far?"

"Ah," you smiled, not really sure how to respond. Your mother always said that you devoured books, but to say that right now would be quite embarrassing.

"You really like reading then, don't you? Would you mind if I borrowed it from you after you finished it? I want to read it for a while now, but I can never find it."

"Sure," you smiled. Then the bell rang and you smiled apologetically. "Gomen, Kirino-senpai, but I have to head back to the classroom."

"Yeah, me too," he smiled and the two of you parted. You weren't able to focus much on the classes after that, since you got an annoying feeling in your stomach. It was like you were really nervous, like you had to do a huge presentation or something like that. But that wasn't the case at all, so why would you feel like this?

* * *

><p>You went to the public library a few days later. It was Friday today and since you didn't have much homework, you wanted to borrow some books for the weekend. You had already chosen two books, but it was a trilogy and you wanted the third book as well. It seemed like an interesting story about children who got infected by an experimental virus and obtained dog-like senses and you were sure that you would finish those first two before Monday.<p>

"Hnngg!" you uttered as you stretched your arm. Of course, the book just _had_ to be on the highest shelf. And you were _way _too stubborn to look around for a staircase, so yeah... Besides, you were almost there. It was only three inches away from your reaching fingers...

Suddenly, you felt someone's body pressing against your back. That person breathed in your hair before he or she took the book you had been reaching for. You saw how a hand took it from the shelf and felt how the person pulled away. You gritted your teeth. Damn your short height.

You turned around, words to claim the book already on your lips, but they got stuck in your throat when you saw that it was hovering right in front of your face. "Here you go." You looked over the book cover, straight into two kind azure eyes.

"A-ah, Kirino-senpai. Arigatou," you said while you took the book and bowed.

"No problem," he smiled and your insides made a small jump. "You know, I realized something after we met a few days ago. You never told me your name."

You laughed to hide your embarrassment. "I'm [l/n] [f/n]," you said as you bended down to pick up your other books.

"[l/n] [f/n], huh? Nice name you have. It's like a name from one of those fairy tale princesses..."

"Baka, don't say that," you laughed before you realized your rudeness. "Oh gomen, Kirino-senpai, for speaking so rudely..." you blabbered while you bowed.

He chuckled at your behaviour. "It's okay, [l/n]-kun, I don't mind at all. By the way, you are carrying quite a few books. Are you having no plans this weekend?"

"Not really."

"Does that mean you've finished Erebos?"

"Ah, there it is, the true motive," you giggled dramatically. "I was already wondering why you were still talking to me, but now I get it."

"What are you talking about, Your Highness?" Kirino joined in. "How could I not want to accompany such a beautiful princess such as yourself?"

The small jumps that your insides were making turned into giant leaps, as if your guts were training to jump over the Eiffel Tower. "Baka," you muttered again as you looked away. In case you're guessing, your cheeks were bright red by now. "But about the book, I finished it indeed. If you tell me where you live, I'll bring it to your house."

"You don't have to-"

"That's an order, Kirino-senpai," you said quasi-sternly and you stuck out your tongue when he pouted. "And a thanks, for helping me out with this book."

"...Alright then, princess."

Your heart raced in a marathon right now. "Stop calling me that," you said with a blush and Kirino just smiled at you.

* * *

><p>You pressed the doorbell as you held the book in your other hand. It didn't take long before the door swung open to reveal your pink haired senpai. However, instead of his school uniform, he was now wearing casual clothes.<p>

"Ah, [l/n]-kun," he smiled while opening the door further. "Please, come in."

"No need, Kirino-senpai," you smiled while extending the book to him. "I only came to bring this."

"Yes, but I heard that it's going to rain today and I don't want you to catch a cold."

You raised your eyebrow. "Well, it's still dry now, so if I go now I'm sure that I can get home before-" You were cut off by both the raindrop that fell on your face and Kirino's victorious smirk.

"I guess you have no choice anymore," he said while stepping aside to let you enter. He made a mock curtsey before he flashed you a grin. "Please enter my humble home, Your Highness."

You simply rolled your eyes as you stepped inside and put off your shoes. You followed him to the living room and sat down on the couch as he handed you a cup of tea.

"So... What now?" you asked after a few minutes of silence.

Kirino chuckled. "Well, I've got quite a collection of books here, so why don't you just choose one and read a bit until it stops raining?"

"Can I?"

"Sure you can, what kind of books do you like?"

"Ehm, I'm fine with anything if it's not too girly."

"Describe 'girly'."

"You know, like cliché love stories. I like it if a book contains a little action."

"A little action, eh? Well, maybe you like this one?" He gave you a book and you studied the cover before you read the text on the back.

"The Ranger's Apprentice," you read. "Book one: The ruins of Gorlan... Seems nice."

* * *

><p>Neither of you really spoke the following one-and-a-half hour, except for occasionally reading funny scenes out loud. Both of you sat on the couch, but your minds were in different worlds. It was strange at first, that you were acting so relaxed around someone that you only knew for a few days. Well, you knew who he was of course - there aren't any students that don't know this soccer player - but you never actually talked to him before.<p>

Every now and then, you glanced over the book towards Kirino. Your insides twisted every time you did that and after minutes of poundering over it, you concluded that there might be a slight chance that you were perhaps a little bit in love with your senpai.

But you weren't really sure, because... Well, the only love experience you had came from books. It was always described as such a nice, warm, easygoing feeling, when in reality, it felt like your period hit today. You sweatdropped at your own thoughts, but that was really the best way to describe the occasional cramps you felt. It was frustrating, and those twists and jumps from your guts were kind of exhausting.

You sighed and closed the book. "I'm done," you smiled and Kirino closed his book too.

"I can get you the second one if you like?"

"Nah, not yet. I'm just gonna sit here, stare at the wall for a while, overthink every desicion I ever made in my life and think: 'what would Halt* have done?'," you said as you leaned back.

He chuckled. "Well, I guess I'm not the only one he left an impression on. Did you like the book?"

"Yeah, I did," you smiled brightly. "Will* is so kind and strong and brave and hot... I'm totally in love with him."

"How would you know he's hot? You haven't even seen him."

"Of course he's hot," you retorted, leaving out the words you were about to say next. Namely, that the Will in your head had, no matter how unrealalistic it seemed, pink hair and azure eyes... Kirino remained silent and when you looked at him again, you saw that he looked at his feet and blushed slightly.

"Kirino? What's wrong?"

"No, it's nothing," he said.

"Come on, you can tell me."

"No... You'll laugh, it's kinda stupid."

"I won't laugh, I promise. Now tell me please."

"Fine. I was just thinking... that it was quite weird for me to be... jealous of a book character..."

"...Eh, what? Why would you be-" You thought about it for a while, then you smirked. "Was it because I said I was totally in love with him?"

Kirino's cheeks darkened and he didn't look at you, but he nodded. You smiled and approached him. You leaned in and planted a soft kiss on his warm cheeks.

"How did you know that that was why I was, erm, jealous?" he asked.

"Boy loves girl, girl loves boy, they kiss, the end. Let's just say that this scene right now is the only cliché love story that I don't dislike," you smiled. He smiled as well and slowly leaned in.

The feeling you got when your lips touched his was nothing you had expected.

There was not a book in the world that could have prepared you for this.

No page could ever capture the magic of this moment.

No words could describe how unimaginibly happy you were right now.

* * *

><p>* Characters from Ranger's Apprentice series (a.k.a. my favourite book series). Halt is a grumpy, hilarious old ranger and Will becomes his apprentice. Look it up on google for more details.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Me: O.o the heck did I write just now?! Sorry minna, I completely messed up the end. I hope you still liked it though.<strong>

**As for the books mentioned in this story: they're real books as I said. If your curious about them:**

**- The one you read when you met Kirino was Erebos by Ursula Poznanski. I must warn you though, because I really couldn't put this book down once I started it. It drove me completely crazy and I was willing to kill to find out what happened... So yeah, reading at own risk.  
><strong>**- The trilogy you borrowed at the library was the Virals trilogy, consisting of 'Virals', 'Seizure' and 'Code', by Kathy Reichs (in Dutch: Virus-trilogie, bestaande uit Virus, Aanval en Code). Great plot, unrealistic events are realistically portrayed, lots of humor and humans with dog-like senses... Anything else you need? :p  
><strong>**- The book you read at Kirino's place was the Ruins of Gorlan, the first book in the Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan (in Dutch: de Grijze Jager serie, de Ruïnes van Gorlan). It's a series that consists of twelve books and it's about a Medieval-like area where a young orphan boy grows up to be one of the greatest heroes in the country.**

**If you're interested in these books, please google them to find more information about them. For all it matters to you, I highly recommend every single one of them! ^^ Like I said before, the books belong to their respective authors.**

**Now I'm going to sleep, bye!**


	7. Fubuki Shirou

**Me: Wow, it's been a while. Okay, I thought so long about this story that I have grown a beard, but it's finished now! ^^ Fubuki, it's about you, so why don't you do the disclaimer.**

**Fubuki: Alright. Att-chan doesn't own Inazuma Eleven or me or you.**

**Me: I hope you enjoy reading this. I'm going to shave this beard off, it doesn't look good on me.**

**IE-cast: *sweatdrop***

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><p><em><strong>Fubuki Shirou ~ Pity<strong>_

* * *

><p>I stuffed my books into my bag and closed my locker. Then I grabbed my coat and walked out of the school. Finally, it was Friday. That didn't mean that I could go home, though. I still had volleyball practice after school and tonight, after dinner, I had to work.<p>

I quickly changed to my uniform and put on my jersey (I knew from experience that the gym in Hakuren was rather chilly). I ran a few laps with my teammates and completed the rest of my warming up together with Mikou Hikatou, one of my classmates. We chatted a bit while passing the ball back and forth, until Mikou suddenly changed the topic.

"Hey, [l/n]-kun, do you already have a partner for the school dance this Sunday?"

"I'm... I'm not going," I admitted slightly hesitant.

"What? Why not?"

"I'm busy. We've got a match tomorrow and I have to finish my Biology report that's due to Monday and-"

"Come on, please?" Mikou pleaded with puppydog eyes. "You're always so busy. Promise me you'll try to be there, okay?"

"Mik-"

"Promise."

"Fine, fine, I promise that I'll try to come. But if I don't have time, I won't come. Happy now?"

"As long as you keep your promise," Mikou pouted mockingly, but then she laughed and I laughed along. Mikou was such a nice girl, she could become friends with everybody. She was just like a certain someone actually, but I forced myself to forget about him and focus on my practice.

.

"Are you sure you'll be alright, [l/n]-kun?" Mikou asked. She had already changed to her casual clothes while I still wore my uniform.

"It'll be fine, Mikou," I told her. "The next group will come in thirty minutes and I wanted to practice a little more on my overhand serve anyways.

"Okay then, see you Sunday," she replied as she left the gym. I on the other hand took another ball from the rack and positioned myself at the back of the field. In one swift movement, I threw the ball up, stepped forward and swung my hand back and forth so that it collided with the ball. The dull noise that the ball made when it hit the ground on the other side of the net was heard right afterwards.

**Pats. Bam.**

I kept on practicing and it went really well: I didn't miss even once.

**Pats. Bam.**

"Still practicing?"

I froze. _That voice._

I slowly turned around and saw him standing with a kind smile on his lips. Fubuki Shirou. He was my class president, the star player in our school's soccer team and over all the most popular guy in Hakuren. He was polite, kind, caring and definitely not unattractive. I had sat next to him at the start of the year and we talked quite a bit. I even developed some tiny little crushing feelings for him at the start.

But it all changed one month ago, when my older brother, [l/n] Kazuo, broke his leg and was forced to stay at home. My father died a long time ago and my mother, Kazuo and I had a hard time getting by. Mom worked often overtime at the hospital, I worked in a supermarket and Kazuo was delivering newspapers. However, since he broke his leg, I was forced to take over his shifts for the time being.

Anyways, Fubuki went home with me that day, because he was concerned about his teammate. Did I mention that Kazuo was in the soccer club? I tried to be a good host, but I had to leave soon for work. When I came home, Fubuki was still around and Kazuo offered him to stay for dinner. He agreed and I prepared a meal for three, since mom was once again working. I was dead tired, but it was still fun to eat and talk with Kazuo and Fubuki.

But when I had taken him to the door and said goodbye, I saw it. It flickered in his eyes for only a short moment, but I had seen it clearly: pity. The week after that, I noticed it in his actions as well. He was always there to help me, even when I insisted that I could do it myself. He suddenly wanted to be my partner when the teacher gave duo assignments and then he did all the work. He even treated me every now and then.

And I hated him for it.

Well, okay, I didn't hate him for his actions, but for the reason behind it. He didn't do it because we were friends but because he pitied me. He thought I was just another weak girl. That's when I decided to distance myself from him. I didn't sit next to him in class anymore, I looked the other way when he walked with me and when we spoke, I answered plainly and short.

"Why are you here?" I asked as I took another ball from the rack.

**Pats. Bam.**

"Your brother left his History book in the dressing room, so I thought you could return it to him."

Yes, Kazuo went to school again since Monday and I saw him every now and then with his crutches. He still couldn't play soccer, of course, but he watched every practice session of the team.

"Thanks."

**Pats. Bam.**

"Are you going to the dance this Sunday?"

**Pats. Bam.**

"No."

"Why not?"

"Too busy."

**Pats. Bam.**

"I can help you if you want."

"No need."

"Hmm."

He placed the book on the bench and watched silently as I served one ball after another. When I was done with my round, I walked towards the other side of the field to gather the balls. Fubuki helped.

When all the balls laid on the rack again, I took the first one and prepared myself for my next attempt. "Say [l/n]-san, do you hate me?" Fubuki asked as I threw the ball in the air. My eyes widened at his words and I hit the ball wrongly, causing it to go straight into the net. It slowly bounced back and I picked it up, but didn't move further.

"I see," I heard him say as if I had answered his question. And I had answer it: my actions said enough. "[l/n]-san, I swear that it wasn't my intention if I wronged you in some way. Can you please tell me why..." He didn't finish his question, as if he couldn't get the words over his lips.

Suddenly, I got so tired from all of this. I had been practicing for over an hour after I had yet another exhausting day at school. The prospect of working this evening wasn't promising either and right now, I just wanted to go home. "Leave me alone," I muttered as I placed the ball on the rack and made my way to the dressing room.

Fubuki didn't follow me.

* * *

><p>"I'm home!" I yelled. Man, I was so tired. I woke up at half past five this morning to deliver newspapers in my brother's stead. That had been quite a tiring journey already, since there was crosswind and it was raining. Right after that, I had cycled to the supermarket and worked from eight to eleven. I had quickly cycled to where I had to play my volleyball match - which we won by 2-1 by the way - and then went back to the supermarket to work another shift from two to five. It was now half past five and I felt like you couldn't take another step.<p>

"Welcome back, sis," Kazuo called out from the living room. I walked through the door, but froze when I saw who was with him. "Oh yeah, Fubuki and I are busy with our History project and he's staying over for dinner. You don't mind, do you?"

Fubuki hurried to object. "No, it's okay, I can just eat at home and return afterwards."

"That makes completely no sense, dude," Kazuo objected. "Just eat here, we don't mind at all."

"Really, I think I should just-"

"It's okay, Fubuki," I managed to say. "Although I'm too tired right now to cook. I hope you're okay with pizza from the fridge?"

He eyed me before he slowly nodded. "Alright then." I turned on the oven and put my dirty volleyball uniform in the laundry basket.

"How was your match by the way?" Kazuo asked when I re-entered the room.

"It was fine. We won, two to one. I was a bit tired afterwards, but they didn't really notice it at work." When my eyes crossed Fubuki's, I saw that he was already looking at me with great interest. I wasn't entirely sure, but I thought to see the same flash of pity that I had seen before. I gritted my teeth and abruptly walked to the kitchen. "I'm eating in my room, if you don't mind. I've got piles of homework."

.

There was a soft knock on my door. "Come in," I said and Fubuki opened the door. He trailed in the doorway, obviously not sure what to say or do.

"Eh, your brother and I need a dictionary, so if you don't mind..."

"It's on the bookshelf," I pointed before I bent over my Maths homework again. Man, why did I have to solve so many problems when I already understood the point? But not making my homework meant detention, so I had to finish it. Then I noticed that Fubuki was still in the room and I gave him a quizzical look. "Do you need something else?"

"Well, I just wanted to know... Why are you so distant to me, [l/n]-san?"

"Am I?"

"Yeah. You always sat next to me and now I barely see you anymore."

I shrugged. "I wanted to sit next to someone else for a change," I said as I focussed on my homework once again.

"Come on, [l/n]-san, we didn't even talk this month."

"We're talking right now, aren't we?"

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what do you mean?"

He remained silent and after a few seconds, I told him: "I think you should leave. Kazuo is probably waiting for you."

He got the hint and reluctantly walked to the door. In the doorway, he turned around and it looked like he was going to say something, but no words came out. "Good luck with your homework," he finally said before he closed the door.

After ten more minutes, I shoved my books away and put my head on my arms on the table. God, this was so tiring. But I still had so much to do... There was no way I would have enough time to go to the school dance tomorrow. "Sorry Mikou," I murmured softly as my eyes closed. I didn't know if I really said that out loud or if I only thought it. But at the time I thought this, I was already asleep, so it didn't matter much.

* * *

><p>Warm sunlight fell through the window and tickled my face. I groggily turned my head away from it before I snapped right up. A quick glance at the clock taught me that it was almost noon.<p>

_I slept the entire morning!_

Suddenly filled with panick and adrenalin, I looked around my desk for my maths homework. And I found them, but not randomly thrown on my desk like they were yesterday evening. Instead, they formed a neat pile along with my English, Geometry and Biology books. I rubbed your eyes to check if I wasn't dreaming. No, I saw it correctly: all the assignments were finished.

What... How... Who...

I shook my head. Ugh, first I should get something to eat. But as I stood up, I noticed something around my shoulders. A jersey from the soccer club. At first I thought it was Kazuo's, but then I realized that he couldn't have done this, since he couldn't climb the stairs. When I checked the name tag, I confirmed my suspicions: it was Fubuki's jacket.

Did that mean that he did my homework too?

I walked to the kitchen with the jersey in my hands, feeling confused about the whole matter. "Good morning, sis," Kazuo greeted with a smile. "Or should I say 'good afternoon'? It's not like you to sleep in, you know?"

"I know, I know..."

"What's that?" he asked, eyeing the jacket. "Is that my jersey?"

"Wha-? No, it's Fubuki's. I found it when I woke up this morning, and then I saw that all my homework was already done."

"So that's what took him so long last night. He kept on excusing himself, going to the bathroom every ten minutes and then stay away for quite a while. I thought he drank too much or something, but it seems he went to you to made your homework. Wow, that guy must be head over heals for you."

"What? No, absolutely not!" I protested while my cheeks coloured red. I suddenly felt the feelings I had had for him a month ago. The feelings that I thought had died down. My intestines twisted and I suddenly lost my appetite. Kazuo gave me his famous smirk and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm serious, why else would he do that kind of thing for you?"

_Because he pities me,_ I thought, but I didn't say it out loud. "Anyways, I'll return this to him as soon as possible."

"He's going to the school dance tonight, so you could do it then. After all, now that your homework is finished, you have time for that, right?"

I kept silent and thought about his words. "You're right. Alright then, I think I'm going."

"Don't do naughty things~" Kazuo yelled after me as I left the kitchen. I rolled my eyes again, but couldn't stop my cheeks from heating up again.

.

"[l/n]-kun, I'm so glad you could make it," Mikou laughed. "You look beautiful in that dress."

"Thanks, Mikou-kun. Eh, do you know where Fubuki is?"

"Fubuki-kun? No, I can't say that I've seen him... Hey Matoro-kun, do you know where Fubuki-kun is?" Matoro Juka turned around. She was beautiful in her light green dress that matched her hair. She had left her fox hat at home and wore her dark blonde locks in a bun. I remembered that she was one of Fubuki's teammates.

"I believe I saw him going to the rooftop a few moments ago," she answered.

"Ah, thank you," I said before I quickly made my way to the rooftop. I saw him sitting on the edge, his legs dangeling a couple of metres above the ground. He turned around when I approached him and flashed me a smile, though I saw a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," I replied. An awkward silence followed as Fubuki turned his head away and closed his eyes to enjoy a soft breeze on his face. I figured I should say something, but I wasn't sure what I should tell him. "I guess I should thank you, I wouldn't be able to be here if it wasn't for your help." I walked up to him and sat down beside him.

"It was nothing, really." After a long silence, he spoke up again. "[l/n]-kun, please tell me... What did I do wrong? I don't want you to hate me."

I sighed and refused to look him in the eye, but decided that he deserved an answer. After all, if it hadn't been for his help, I wouldn't have been able to be here. "I don't hate you, per se... It's just... I don't want you to pity me, okay?"

"Eh?"

"I can see it in your eyes, you pity me. I don't have much spare time and I'm always busy and you are feeling sorry for me. You think I'm too weak to handle everything, that's why you help me out."

I kept on looking away from him, even when he spoke up. "You got it all wrong, [l/n]-kun. I don't think you're weak at all. On the contrary, I think you're an admirable and strong woman to manage to do all of those things. And as to why I want to help you so often... Well..."

I suddenly felt a warm breeze against my cheek and before I could question it, it was replaced by a soft pair of lips. Fubuki kissed me! On the cheek, true, but it was enough for the butterflies in my stomache to start fluttering. I looked at him and he smiled nervously. "I like you, [l/n]-kun. A lot, and more than just friends. When you suddenly distanced yourself from me, I-I panicked and I just..." He sighed.

I just sat there staring at him, still trying to process what happened. First of all, Fubuki explained why he did all that and it _wasn't_ because he pitied me, so I had no actual reason to hate him anymore. And secondly, he had just told me that he liked me. _He likes me..._

My body moved completely on its own as I bent forward and kissed Fubuki on the lips. He backed away in shock, but soon returned my kiss. I slightly panicked as he licked my lips, asking for entrance. H-he wanted to kiss... with _tongue?!_ I had kissed boys before, but never with tongue and I slightly panicked at the thought, so I backed away. Fubuki shot me a questioning look. "Is something wrong?"

"N-no," I stammered hastily. "I-it's just that... I never a-actually..." He smiled and leaned closer to my lips again.

"Don't worry," he whispered. "Just don't think too much about it." He kissed me again and I felt myself slowly sink away. When he licked my lips again, I opened them slightly and his tongue gently started to whirl around my own. I didn't know how long we sat there like that, but eventually, we had to pull away because I for one needed air. We still didn't let go of each other, though. Instead, he wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me into a hug. My face was burried in his shoulder as I gladly inhaled his scent.

"I'm sorry I caused you so much trouble," I mumbled. I heard and felt him chuckle in my hair and it felt _nice_. He rubbed my back with his hands and my skin started to tingle.

"You're absolutely worth it."

We kissed again, gently yet passionate, only enlightened by the moon, the stars and our enormous love for the other.

* * *

><p><strong>Me: Yay, I'm beardless again! Hehe, so minna, I hoped you liked this.<strong>

**Fubuki: Please leave a review with your opinion, tips, critics and your vote for the next one.**

**Bye!**


	8. Yukimura Hyouga

**Me: Helloo! ^^ Okay, I want to warn and apologize in advance, because there is a very serious matter in this story (you'll see). It's kind of based on a Dutch book I once read and it left a huge impression, so I wanted to share it with you guys as well.**

**DISCLAIMER: Inazuma Eleven belongs to Level 5, you belong to yourself and the book, Blauwe Plekken (Bruises), belongs to Anke de Vries.**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Yukimura Hyouga ~ Bruised<strong>_

* * *

><p>If there was one thing I liked about Hakuren in Hokkaido, it was the uniform. Not because I cared much about fashion or something, but because it was long-sleeved. This helped me to avoid unwanted questions. If people saw the bruises, they might start gossiping about me. Rumors would haunt me during the few quiet hours I had. But now, no one noticed me.<p>

It was better this way.

My classmates saw me as just another shy and quiet girl. Nothing special, no one with a secret of any kind. But I had a secret, a dark one...

* * *

><p>"Welcome home, father," I smiled as I opened the door for him. I took his coat and briefcase before he walked to the table and sat down with a heavy sigh. "How was your work today?" I asked as I poured tea in his cup. My hands trembled slightly, but I tried to suppress it. If this went wrong...<p>

"It was alright, but very tiring. Today's meeting just went on and on and on... That's why I'm so late today. I'm sorry, dear," my father smiled tiredly. I smiled back, still keeping my guard up. My father seemed in a good mood today, but I knew from experience that that could change any moment.

"Well, I think I'm going to my room then," I said. "I have loads of homework."

"Wait a minute, dear. Come sit down for a second." He patted the chair next to him and I cautiously walked up to him. As I sat down, my father smiled and handed me a plastic bag. His smile brightened when I looked at the contents. "I bought you a sweater, do you like it?"

I took the piece of clothing out of the bag and held it in the air to take a better look at it. It was gray with blue stripes on the sleeves and around the collar. I rubbed the fabric between my fingers and felt that it was very thick and warm, perfect for the chilly days in Hokkaido. "It's beautiful," I said. It was nothing out of the ordinary, actually, but I didn't want to anger my father. It was obvious that he tried to make things up with me.

"Try it on," my father gestured as he took a sip from his tea. I took off the jersey from my school uniform and put on the sweater. It turned out to be too big for me, seeing as the sleeves covered my hands as well.

"I-it's great, I love it," I said. "Thanks dad."

"I knew it, it's perfect right?" he asked happily and I nodded.

"Yeah, although maybe it's a little bit too big for-"

I was interrupted as my father placed his teacup with much force on the table. He spilled a little bit on the table, but didn't seem to notice it. When I looked at his face, I saw that his happy smile from seconds ago was replaced by an angry scowl. "Is it wrong again?" he asked angrily.

"No, n-no," I hurried to reply as he grabbed my lower arm. "It's perfect, I really like it. Didn't I say so before?"

"I know what you said!" he yelled in my face and twisted my arm as his grip tightened. Tears shot in my eyes.

"Dad, please... Let go please... It hurts," I pleaded as the tears streamed down my face. He eyed me one second longer before he roughly pushed me away. I stumbled backwards and hit a chair with my left knee. With a yelp of pain, I fell to the ground. My breathing went rapidly as I looked up to him in fear.

He didn't look at me though. He took his teacup and gently took another sip before he said: "Didn't you say you had homework?" I nodded, got up and sprinted to my own room. I rolled up the sleeve and saw a big purple bruise where my father had grabbed me. It stood out on my pale skin, but not that much between the other bruises on my arm.

I sighed as I rubbed my arm and started on my homework.

* * *

><p>"So, I guess we're project partners, ne?" the boy in front of me smiled. I knew who he was - of course I knew who he was - which made the situation only more surreal. It was Yukimura Hyouga, one of the most popular boys in the entire school. And sensei just made the two of us partners for the upcoming project! We had to write a report about a phenomenon in the society.<p>

"Eh, y-yeah."

"So, a phenomenon in the society, huh? Do you have any ideas?"

"Ehm, I don't mind the subject, really. Whatever you choose is fine," I hurriedly said. It still felt surreal that the most popular guy was actually talking to me! Me of all people!

"That's not really fair, don't you think? Let's just brainstorm a bit, then we can choose something we both like, okay?" I nodded and we both started writing down possible subjects for our report.

"Okay, now what subject would you like?" Yukimura asked after a while. I looked at what I had written down. There were so many! What subject would Yukimura expect me to choose? What did he want to choose?

"Eh, it really doesn't matter to me. Why don't you choose one?"

"Alright, let's do it this way then," Yukimura said as he closed his eyes and picked a random subject. My heart sunk as you read what he picked. Why, of all things, had it to be this? But I decided I should bite my tongue and just work on it. Yukimura didn't seem to notice my unease with the subject. "Okay, it seems like we'll be doing our report about domestic abuse, then."

.

After school, we continued to work on our report at Yukimura's house. The first thing we did was gathering information about domestic abuse. While I was at it, my thoughts drifted away to my father. I had to make sure that I got home in time, or else he might get angry again. Absent-mindedly, I rubbed my bruised arms.

"Why are you doing that?" Yukimura asked while pointing at my arms. Well, it seems like somebody noticed it. "Are you cold? I can turn up the heating if you want?"

"No, it's fine like this," I reassured him. "I, eh... I'm gonna get a glass of water, okay?" Without awaiting his reply, I stood up and tried to walk away.

"Wait, [l/n], what do you-" Yukimura started and he grabbed my arm. He was interrupted when I winced in pain. "[l/n]?"

"I-it's nothing," I stammered. "O-oh, look how late it is a-already. I really should be going now."

"Ho, wait, wait," Yukimura said as he came closer to me. He beckoned me to extend my arm and I reluctantly obliged. "Relax, I'll be very careful," he promised as he rolled up my sleeve. I heard him gasp when he saw the purple bruises. I pulled my arm back when he softly touched one of them and I muttered a soft 'ow'.

Yukimura eyed me with nothing but seriousness and worry. "[l/n], who did that?"

_My father. My father! My father did that to me! He scolds me for no reason and when he gets angry, he hurts me. It was my father... _"S-some bullies in my nei-neighbourh-hood," I lied softly. "Th-th-they wait for m-me after school a-and th-then..."

"It's terrible," he breathed. I took advantage of his shock to put my coat on. If I didn't get home in time... Yukimura's next words surprised me. "Okay, I'll walk you home then."

"You don't have to, really," I said, but he wouldn't listen.

"I just want you to be safe, that's all. I'm sure they'll leave you alone when we're together."

So he walked me home. And I didn't encounter any bullies of course, but Yukimura wasn't the least suspicious. I sighed, but my heart froze when I saw that my father's car was already in the driveway.

He was home.

I was too late.

_Oh no._

Yukimura, unaware of my fears, rang the doorbell and my father opened the door. When he saw me, I saw he tried his best to keep his composure.

"Good afternoon, sir," Yukimura smiled politely. My father repeated the greeting.

"Are you [f/n]'s friend? She never brings home someone," he said and Yukimura's smile widened.

"I was a bit worried about her, sir."

"Worried?" My father eyed me and his words had a threatening tone, although Yukimura didn't seem to notice.

"Yes, sir. I found out she had some bruises on her arm and she told me that she was bullied by some guys in this neighbourhood. That's why I figured that I should walk her home today."

"I see. Well, thank you, boy. I'll make sure to find out what's really going on here." Yukimura nodded, smiled at me and left. I stepped inside and looked at his back until the door closed. 'Wait', I wanted to yell. 'Don't leave me here with him!' But I kept quiet instead. I smelled the alcohol on my father's breath and knew that he had been drinking again after work. That spelled 'Trouble' with a capital letter.

And indeed, as soon the door closed, My father roughly pushed me against the wall. His angry face was mere inches away from mine when he shouted: "He saw bruises, huh? Did you take off your clothes for him or what?! What kind of girl are you, huh?" I managed to get free and sprinted up the stairs. When I was in my room, I locked the door and went straight to bed.

* * *

><p>Yukimura walked me to school every morning and he walked me back home every afternoon. Never did we encounter those 'bullies' and I told him that my father had indeed made work of it. When I said that he didn't need to fetch me anymore, he just smiled and said that he enjoyed walking with a good friend. My cheeks had heated up at that comment.<p>

My situation at home worsened by the day and after two more weeks, I decided that I had to get away from there. My father might kill you if this went on. So I stayed in your room until I heard the front door slam close, signalling that your father left for work. I silently took your suitcase from underneath my bed and started packing. Only the things I needed for the journey ended up in my suitcase. Clothes, a blanket, a lighter, my passport, all the money I could find... Downstairs, I packed as much food as I could fit in my suitcase and packed another backpack as well.

I put on my coat and carefully opened the front door. I glanced from left to right, as if my father would suddenly be there and scold me or beat me. When the coast was clear, I made my way to the train station. It was a twenty-minute walk from here, but I didn't mind it.

With the weight of the backpack on my back and the suitcase in my hand, I walked away, gaining more confidence with every step I took. At the train station, I stood in line to buy a ticket. It didn't matter where I would go to, as long as it was far away from here. I sat down on a bench and stared at my ticket. The train would leave in fifteen minutes.

My new life would start in fifteen minutes.

* * *

><p><strong>With Yukimura<strong>

Yukimura walked up to her house. She seemed rather quiet the past days, even though those bullies had stopped, and he thought that she might like it if the two of them walked to school together. He rang the doorbell and waited, but no one opened the door. He frowned and rang again and again, but the door remained closed. He knocked on the door and yelled her name, but there was no reply.

_Strange,_ he thought.

"Kid, come over here." Yukimura turned around and saw [l/n] neighbour standing at the fence, beckoning him to come closer. It was a short old lady who missed one of her front teeth, which caused her to swish a little.

"What is it, ma'am?" Yukimura asked politely.

"She'sh gone," the woman said.

"Huh? Already? Well, I'll better run then to catch up with her," Yukimura exclaimed as he started to walk away.

"Wait, kid," the woman said. "She hashn't gone off to school, she ran away from home. I shaw her leaving with her shuitcashe about ten minutesh ago."

"She... She ran away from home? Why would she do that?" he asked confused.

"You shaw her bruishesh, didn't you?"

"Yes, but I thought that those bullies had stopped. [l/n]-chan told me that her father talked with those deliquents' parents and that they left her alone now."

The lady shook her head at his naivety. "There were no bulliesh to begin with, boy. It wash her own father that beat her up."

Yukimura was so shocked that he froze at those words. _[l/n] gets beaten by her father? But that can't be true, right? Of course, she was shy and she had those terrible bruises, but why would she lie about it? _He remembered how she sometimes spaced out when she was working on the report. Was that because the subject had come so close to her?

After an eternity, he unfroze. His feet took hesitant steps in the direction of the train station. After all, that was the closest way to get out of this town, so he figured she had gone there. His steps came faster and faster until he was sprinting. In the meantime, he was praying to every god and goddess he knew and also to a few he didn't knew.

_Please don't let me be too late._

* * *

><p><strong>Back to you<strong>

The train came in, the doors opened and a flood of people came out. I sat quietly on the bench, watching them. When it was more quiet, I sighed and got up. With the suitcase in my hand and the backpack on my back, I made my way to the train with slow steps. I was certain that I wanted to leave, but part of me wanted to stay as well. After all, this was where I had made my first friend.

I smiled when I thought of Yukimura. He was so caring and sweet and kind... _He must be confused when I won't show up in class today._ _Maybe I should give him a call when I have the chance, to thank him for everything._ Then I remembered that I didn't have his number and I sighed. _Stop making illusions, [f/n],_ I told myself. _You just have to disappear from his life, the sooner the better._

I was only three steps away from the train and I already heard the whistle, signalling that it would leave soon. I took another step, and another one. But just as I wanted to enter the train, someone grabbed me from behind. My arms were pinned against my body and I couldn't move from shock. I heard and felt how that person panted in my hair as he or she buried their face in it.

I barely grasped the concept of the closing doors and the moving train. Only when the train completely left the station, the person released me and I unfroze. My eyes widened in horror when I realized that I had missed it, meaning that I had to stay here for the time being.

"Thank god I came here in time," the person behind me panted and I turned around.

"Yu... Yukimura?!" He didn't respond and threw his arms around me again, hugging you tightly.

"Don't ever scare me like that again," he said and I heard that he was crying. "I thought I lost you." I came out of my statue-like state when he hugged me even tighter.

"Yukimura... Let go, please," I whispered. He seemed to remember my bruises and let go of me, but he held me by my shoulders so he could look me in the eye.

"[l/n], why didn't you tell me? I could've helped you."

"I... I didn't want to bother you with it. I thought you would think I was exaggerating, a-and..."

Tears streamed down my face when Yukimura lifted my chin up with his hand. I saw that he was also crying, but his smile was more beautiful, so I focussed on that. Suddenly, the two of us were kissing. I didn't know how it happened or who started it, but my lips suddenly touched his. Carefully wrapping his arms around me, Yukimura pulled me closer to deepen the kiss.

No words were exchanged, but they weren't needed. I drifted away on his loving kiss. And for the first time in a long, long time...

...I was happy.

* * *

><p><strong>Me: Sorry for the depressing story, minna, but I still hope you liked it. As I said, the book left a huge impression... So yeah, please vote for who I should do next and I'll do my best to make it not as depressing as this, okay?<strong>

**Bye!**


	9. Hakuryuu

**Me: Well, time for another ReaderxCharacter one-shot.**

**Tenma: Ne, writer-san, who is it today?**

**Me: He should be here any minute.**

**Hakuryuu: *enters* Yo, what did you want to talk about, Att-chan?**

**Me: There you are! It's your turn, Hakuryuu.**

**Hakuryuu: Eh?!**

**Tsurugi: You're gonna get hitched, dude.**

**Hakuryuu: *turns pale* What the- Don't I have anything to say about this?!**

**Tsurugi: Of course, you can say "I do" on the appropriate time *snickers***

**Me: Or do the disclaimer!**

**Hakuryuu: That's _NOT_ what I meant! *glares***

**Me: Alright, then I'll do it. I don't own anything, except for my crazy mind. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hakuryuu ~ Rivalry<strong>_

* * *

><p>"Well, what do you think?" I heard my superior's voice, but didn't turn my eyes away from the glass window. Beneath us, on the other side of it, were ten boys. They all frowned in concentration, trying to complete the harsh training session. It was hellish, but it made them stronger and that was all that counted here on God Eden. These boys were trained to become SEEDs, the players that were sent to other soccer teams in order to keep them under control.<p>

I did this practice too on a regular basis, but I was used to it now. And now all that time I had spent here, practicing my ass off, finally paid off. I was the SEED with the biggest chance on becoming the captain of the strongest team there would ever be: Unlimited Shining. I were the strongest, the smartest and the fastest around. It actually became a little boring, but I wasn't complaining.

Kibayama Douzan, Unlimited Shining's future coach, waited for my decision, even though I was inferior to him. If I wanted Unlimited Shining to be the strongest team, then I would have to choose its potential members carefully. My eyes shifted over the ten boys once more, but they always went back to the fourth boy in the line. He had white spiky hair, which was tied in a tail. The hair in the tail had a bluish gray color and it swayed back and forth as the boy moved. His dark red eyes were solely focussed on the ball at his feet and the soccer balls that were fired at him. The objective was that they had to run with the ball at their feet while other balls were fired at them. They either had to dodge them or kick them back.

"Number four seems interesting," I said, still keeping my eyes on him.

"His name is Hakuryuu, he hasn't been here for long."

"Hakuryuu, huh? And his full name?"

"We don't know, Hakuryuu is his only registered name."

"I see. What else do we know of him?"

"He's a flexible fourteen year old. His stats in speed, ball control and shooting power are 78, 63 and 83 respectively. The latest analyses pointed out that he has a great potential for an unimaginable strong Keshin. If only he could bring it out, he would be a worthy rival for you."

I whistled through my teeth. "A worthy rival, eh? Finally. Why can't he bring it out?"

"We think it is because he is too nice. He's always helping his dorm mates, always friendly, always smiling..."

As if on cue, the fifth boy in the line slipped and fell helplessly to the ground. A soccer ball was fired at him with the speed of lightning, flying directly towards his face. He was too clumsy and too slow to dodge it, but the ball never collided with his face. Right before the impact, Hakuryuu kicked it back, not breaking his own rhythm during this action. He smiled happily at the other boy before he focussed on his own practice again. _Just like a little boy,_ I thought.

I chuckled to myself and I knew that my lips curved into a grin. "I just have to get rid of the little child inside of him and he'll be stronger than ever."

* * *

><p>When the practice was over, I pressed the button for the microphone and my voice echoed through the room, sternly and tinny. "That's all for today, you are dismissed. Number four, you stay."<p>

Kibayama-san had already left, leaving me to deal with Hakuryuu. After all, I was well-known for my ability to bring out someone's hidden powers, apart from my outstanding skills in soccer of course. The boys left while Hakuryuu still stood there, obviously nervous. He looked up and it seemed like he looked straight into my eyes. That was impossible, however, because the glass was blinded and he couldn't see anyone on this side.

"Did I do something wrong, ma'am?" he eventually asked after I kept quiet.

"Silence!" I snapped and he immediately stood straight again. "I want to see your precision. Take a ball and aim for the three goals on your right." I watched as Hakuryuu turned to his right, where three small circles were drawn on the wall. They were small targets, especially when one took in consideration that they were about 160 feet away from him.

After fifteen minutes of non-stop shooting, I left the observation room and silently entered the practice hall. He didn't notice me as I leaned with my back against the wall behind him. Only when the ball bounced off of the wall and rolled up to my feet, he saw me.

"That was a quite impressive shot," I smiled kindly and he smiled back, before casting a nervous look on the dark window above him. When there came no commands, he seemed to relax.

"Thanks," he said.

"Are you new here?" I asked, as if I didn't already know everything about him.

"Yeah, I arrived almost two weeks ago," he confirmed. "It's quite tough here."

"You'll get used to it," I smiled. He completely fell for this kind act I did. "I'm [l/n] [f/n]."

Of course, he didn't know that name yet because he was new here. That was why he smiled brightly at me. I admired the sight for a second. After all, it has been a while since someone smiled at me like that, without fear or anger. "I'm Hakuryuu, nice to meet you. It's great to finally make a friend here. We are friends, right?" he added after a few seconds of silence.

I smiled at him. "Of course we are. Well, I have to go now. See you around." I walked away with the ball in my hands and when I reached the door, I saw that Hakuryuu had already turned around. _Perfect. _"Oh yeah, Hakuryuu?" I asked in a sickly sweet tone as I kicked the ball at full force at him.

"Hmm?" He turned back to me, just in time to see the ball but too late to dodge it. It hit him in the stomach and sent him flying. "Oomphf"

"Let me give you a piece of _friendly_ advice," I added, sarcasm dripping from my words. "_Nobody_ is your friend here." Then I turned around and left him coughing on the ground.

* * *

><p>My next encounter with Hakuryuu was two weeks later. His group just came back from a run around the island. I heard Kibayama-san talking with a few other adults about how Hakuryuu slowly but surely got ahead of the others. Right now, he was the only one that was back and he obviously decided to rest a bit. I saw him as he dragged his tired body to his dorm and sank down on his bed, heaving a sigh of relief.<p>

I walked inside and he quickly got up from his bed. "What do you think you're doing?" I barked angrily. "The beds are for during the night, you lazy ass."

"I'm sorry, ma'am," he muttered as he tried to get away.

"Hold it, I think you deserve a punishment for your inappropriate behaviour. Thirty push ups, right now," I ordered. He hesitated for a bit, obviously considering if he should obey or not. He _was_ taller than me and he was quite strong, after all. But after a few seconds he lowered himself to the ground and started with his push ups.

I placed my foot on his back and pushed him down with it, making it harder for him to raise himself up. I knew exactly how much force I should use to make it incredibly hard, but not completely impossible. He groaned from the effort and from annoyance. He started to sweat and his panting increased, but I didn't show any mercy for him. "Are you even crying now?" I mocked as you saw a drip of liquid roll down his cheek. It was probably sweat, but I didn't care. Hakuryuu groaned something but I couldn't understand the words. "Don't mumble like that, crybaby, I can't hear you."

The boy seemed like he was going to collapse, but he kept on going. I admired him for his perseverance, but I didn't show this to him, of course. When he was finally done with his push ups, he laid on the ground with trembling arms. I walked away while you gave him a last message. "Don't slack off next time."

And the other day, when I saw him in the hall, I realized that he had changed. We came from opposite directions and both stopped before we passed each other. He didn't say a word, and neither did I.

But I had seen it in his eyes. Those were fierce, cold and confident: the eyes of a killer. As I walked past him, I allowed myself a victorious smile. My mission was accomplished, for I had broken the kind boy inside of Hakuryuu. A memory of his kind smile swam through my eyesight. I surely wouldn't see that one again.

Strangely enough, I couldn't decide whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.

* * *

><p>The following months, Hakuryuu became nothing short of a rival. He brought out his Keshin and improved greatly on his other talents. If we had a combat right now, I wasn't that sure if you would come out victorious. No wait, let me rephrase that. Of course I would come out victorious, it just would take me more effort than usual!<p>

And then the promised day finally came: election day. Today, Unlimited Shining would finally be assembled. Hakuryuu, the other eighteen candidates and myself knelt down before Kibayama as he read out the names of the members.

My name was first.

When all eleven members were chosen, the others were sent away and Kibayama told us who the captain would be. I froze at the mention of the name, but didn't blink as Hakuryuu stepped forward to receive the captain's mark.

After that, Kibayama told Hakuryuu to lead the practice and he did. As a warming up, he told us to run a few laps. He ordered the others to start passing while I had to do push ups because accoring to him, I had done something wrong during the warming up. I hadn't, god dammit, but it seemed that Hakuryuu wanted to rub it in that he was now my superior. So I lowered yourself without hesitation, though I sent him a quick glare before that, and I soon felt his foot on my back. _Oh god, so he is gonna steal my idea for torture? That bastard!_ But I didn't flinch as I completed my push ups, cursing Hakuryuu in my mind and trying to keep my moans down. I knew he liked it more when I struggled more, but I wouldn't give in that easily!

.

Unlimited Shining practiced like this for weeks and I followed Hakuryuu's orders like a robot. I kept my frustration mostly inside and noticed that Hakuryuu soon started to lose interest in bothering me. That is, he still made me do extra exercises with him looking over me, but he didn't do that as often anymore.

Then came the match with Raimon, which you won 12 - 0. When team Zero was assembled, both Hakuryuu and I were chosen for it. This time, my name was called out second.

After Hakuryuu's.

_Damn it._

_._

Zero's match with Raimon ended different from anyone's expectations. A tie, 5 - 5. It was a weird match, with the adults suddenly joining in during the second half and all. But that match was in the past now. It happened two days ago, and the base on God Eden was closed down. I was packing my stuff when I heard someone knock on my door. Before I could say something, it swung open. "Oh sure, please _do_ come in," I said sarcastically without turning to the person that entered.

"Is that your way to talk to your captain, [l/n]?"

"You're not my captain anymore, Hakuryuu. It's over with Zero and Unlimited Shining." He scoffed and I continued. "Why the hell are you ruining my privacy, anyways? I could have come right out of the shower or something, ya know?"

He snickered. "I'd like to see that. I kinda lost count of how many times you got bruises because I was better than you." I was glad that I still had my back turned towards him, because my cheeks coloured pink when I realized how pervy his first comment was. What? I'm a teenage girl, okay? But it seemed like Hakuryuu was somehow unaware of this, so I shook my head and focused on the second part of his comment.

"Count your own bruises, then divide it by two. That should be around my number."

He snickered, but kept silent. When I finished packing and walked to the door with my suitcase, Hakuryuu stepped in front of me, blocking my path. Before I could scold him, he spoke. "So, what are you gonna do next?"

"Dunno, I'll see what will happen, I guess." It felt a little strange to talk to him like this, without all the hostility in our words and eyes. Not that I considered us to be friends now - friends? With him? Don't make me laugh - but we acted neutrally and that was the friendliest we have been to each other in a long time.

"This is not like you, you know?"

"Who knows? Maybe this is who I really am and the me that you saw here on God Eden was just a façade?" I said flatly. It wasn't true, not completely. The side of myself that I was known for on God Eden was an important part of myself, but it wasn't the only side there was to me.

"Well, that would be bothersome," Hakuryuu said.

I quirked a brow at him. "How come?"

He snickered arrogantly as he looked down on me - damn that boy for being taller than me. He took a step forward and I unconsciously backed away a half step. Mentally cursing myself for showing weakness in front of my own rival, I took a whole step forward. He smiled at my actions and then I suddenly realized how close we were standing to each other. _Uh oh, not good._

Not willing to back away, I glared into his eyes. _They're actually quite beautiful,_ I thought as the deep red colour seemed to captivate me. _A__nd Hakuryuu doesn't look bad either from up close. Oh god, please tell me I didn't think that just now._ Now I knew that Hakuryuu could be considered a handsome boy, but I had never seen that during all this time we spent together. I had solely focused on competing with him and up until now I had been completely oblivious to his looks.

"Because then it would turn out that I like a girl I don't even know," Hakuryuu said, breaking my train of thoughts. I was completely taken aback by this sudden confession and said the first thing that came to mind.

"What the hell?!"

He chuckled, bent forward and kissed me on the lips. As I tried to process what in the world was happening, he forcefully shoved his tongue past my lips and I felt how it brushed against my teeth, my palate and my own tongue. He put his arms around my back and pulled me closer to deepen the kiss. And that was when it finally penetrated me that Hakuryuu - my rival and ex-captain - was _kissing_ me. Feeling as if my pride and dignity would be flushed down the toilet if I let him overpower me like this, I placed my hands on his - warm, stern, muscled - chest and tried to push him away. He responded to that by tightening his grip on my back, forcing my belly and the lower part of my body to flush against him. Furthermore, he bent his head further down, forcing me to crane mine backwards. Due to this uncomfortable position and my shrinking oxygen supply - which wasn't that big to begin with because he had taken me by surprise - I let out a long yet soft moan, which became louder when my lungs screamed harder for fresh air. That was the reason why I let out those embarrassing sounds and absolutely _not_ because I liked it that he kissed me! I didn't like it, not at all! Well, maybe a little, but that was probably because I was a little lightheaded from lack of air. Hakuryuu obviously didn't plan on stopping, though. Contrary, my moan seemed to encourage him to draw this kiss out even longer.

Well, I couldn't have that! Without thoroughly thinking it through, I let my teeth sink in the soft flesh of his tongue, which still invaded the personal space inside my mouth. He jerked his head back and in the second I saw his eyes, I noticed that they were filled with both anger and amusement. Considering how his strong arms around my back were the only thing that kept me upright, seeing as he forced me to bend back pretty far, I expected him to just drop me to the ground and make a comment to humiliate me. However, I was still panting quite uncontrollably and right then and there, I didn't care if he would drop me to the ground. If he wanted to laugh at me, so be it.

But he didn't drop me. Instead, he bent down again and brushed his lips against mine, after which he descended to my chin. The left a trail of soft butterfly kisses on my jawline and eventually ended up with his lips in the crook of my neck. By this time, I had regained at least some control over my breathing and I started to think properly again. Again, Hakuryuu didn't respond when I tried to push him away and I sucked in a breath when I felt something warm and wet press against the skin in my neck. After that he scraped with his teeth over it and drew back an inch to blow on the now wet skin, causing me to shiver even though it wasn't that cold. A strange tingling in my stomach penetrated me and I felt how goosebumbs rose on the flesh of my arms. I was frozen in place, paralyzed by Hakuryuu's actions and the feelings and sensations he ignited inside of me. However, I snapped out from it when he took a small piece of my skin between his teeth and started to nibble on it! I knew it was pointless to try and push him away, so I tried to talk him out of it. I didn't get far though.

"Hakuryuu, what the he- ah! Goddamit, you- ah haa, haa. What do you think, hng, you're doing? Haa-Hakuryuu! hng, ah!" Okay, I really didn't want it to come out like that, but Hakuryuu practically forced those moans out of me as he bit down fiercer and started to suck at my skin. Had the tingling feeling in my stomach been strangely present before, now it was completely overwhelming and it spread out to every inch of my body. Even after I closed my mouth - not wanting do display any more of my current vulnerability - I still couldn't hold back all those embarrassing sounds. Truth be told, my face was dark red by the time he finally pulled away.

His grip on my back loosened and finally I was able to create more distance between us. Hakuryuu studied my face for a while and smirked cockily, causing me to advert my eyes. What did it matter, my pride was already burried deep anyway and I really didn't want to look at him now. I was a panting, blushing, trembling mess and I tried hard to comprehend all that had happened. Hakuryuu had just ignited sensations inside of me that I never knew I could feel. I didn't really know _what_ I felt exactly, but the one thing I did know was that when the tingling feeling Hakuryuu had given me ebbed away, I missed it. I couldn't go around the fact that both my mind and my body had liked the kiss from before.

"What did you say?" Hakuryuu asked and I heard the laughter in his voice. "I didn't really hear you with all the other sounds you made."

"Shut up!" I yelled, feeling the earlier embarrassment was over me again. And just when I thought that my blush had become a little less obvious...

"Don't be so hostile, [f/n]-chan~" he cooed. "You liked it, didn't you?" Just how much was this guy going to make me gravel at his feet? I was confused, embarrassed and full of feelings that I didn't quite understand. In this situation, Hakuryuu could either make me or break me, and it seemed like he was going for the latter.

"S-shut up!" I yelled again, trying hard to ignore his suggestive question and his seductive tone.

I didn't even realize that he had walked towards me until his feet appeared in my line of sight. I looked up with a jerk and before I could walk away again, he held my cheek with his hand and stared into my eyes. His hand felt cold against my cheek, but that was probably because I was burning up inside. "You know," he whispered and his warm breath stroke my face. "I like this side of you, [f/n]-chan. Never thought that I would see the great, hard, cold and terrifying [l/n] [f/n] like this."

And then, _finally_, I managed to get back to my original self, the side of me I showed to the world. The side of me that was Hakuryuu's rival, not this fumbling, insecure girl. "Back off!" I punched him on the shoulder, catching him off guard and forcing him a few steps back.

The first glance he showed me was a surprised one, which quickly shifted back to an amused smile. "I was complimenting you, you know?" He moved his shoulder a bit and then smiled a little painfully. "Good to know that your fiery side hasn't disappeared yet, [f/n]-chan."

"S-shut up, and don't call me that. You're still my rival, you know!"

His smirk grew wider. "Oh really? You have a fresh and bright hickey to show the world that you're mine now. In other words, that you're the one who's submitting to me."

_A fresh and bright... So that's what he was doing!_ My hand shot up to my neck and covered the spot that Hakuryuu treated with his teeth and lips. The skin was rough and the whole spot stung when I added pressure on it. After the realisation came, I made sure to sent Hakuryuu the best murdering glare I could muster in this situation. Unfortunately, he stayed alive and didn't seem at all fazed by it.

Anger coursed through my veins and mixed with the embarrassment I felt. Thoughts raced through my head, too quick to be aware of them. Overwhelmed with all that I thought and felt, I stumped on his foot. Hard. As he gasped in pain and surprise, I attacked his lips again, resulting in yet another forceful kiss. Soon, my tongue was battling with his for dominance.

He might have caught me off guard before and he might even have marked me as his, but I would get revenge for that later. Right now, I just wanted to show to him that I hadn't given up yet and that he hadn't won yet.

After all, I still was his rival and like hell I was going to lose to him!

* * *

><p><strong>Me: ... Well... That was something...?<strong>

**[Edit]: I didn't only rewrite the point of view, I changed the kissing scene as well... I'm in a pervy mood, so this came out. Sorry that it's horribly OOC and confusing, but I still hope you like it!**


	10. Midorikawa Ryuuji

**Me: Ohayo! Wait, it's evening... Ah well.**

**Hiroto: *sweatdrop* So, who is it this time, Att-chan?**

**Me: It's Midorikawa! *gasp* Hehe, gomen gomen. I know that he wasn't requested, but I hope you'll forgive me. I just had a really nice idea for him (it didn't turn out as nice as I hoped, though). I promise that Taiyou will be the next. ^^**

**Sorry if this is rushed, by the way. I'm just very busy at the moment (it's my dad's birthday today, so all my little cousins are bothering me and my test week starts next Thursday, so I'm busy as hell). I hope you still like this (it has a hint of mystery).**

**Hiroto: Att-chan doesn't own Midorikawa or you, so enjoy!**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Midorikawa Ryuuji ~ A kiss is the key to every lock<strong>_

* * *

><p>I fell to my knees after the whistle and panted heavily. My teammates laid scattered around the field, injured and exhausted. I was exhausted too, but not injured for some reason. As the team's captain, I felt responsible for my teammates' wellbeing and the fact that they got all the injuries only increased my guilt. I wondered why I had been spared, because it was obvious that the opposing team did their best not to harm me. Of course, I got provoked and humiliated whenever I lost a one-on-one with them, but that was nothing major.<p>

A loud noise made me look up, just in time to see how a part of our school collapsed. It was a good thing that it was evacuated during the match, so there were no casualties, but it still hurt to see the building destroyed.

"It's over, we're done here," a cold voice said and when I looked in front of me, I saw how Gemini Storm gathered in the middle of the field. I gritted your teeth when I saw how their captain, an alien called Reize, smirked victoriously at me. It was obvious that he enjoyed the sight of me and my teammates graveling in the dirt. He and his team had suddenly showed up and challenged us to a soccer match. If we declined or lost, our school would be destroyed. Only if we won over them, he would leave us alone. We put up the best fight we could, but Gemini Storm was just too strong and the game ended with 8 - 0. And now they destroyed our school while we could only watch.

"Wait," I said, surprised of my own words. With trembling legs, I raised yourself from the ground. "It's... It's not over yet!"

The amused and mocking expression that the alien captain gave me fed my anger. Oh, how I wanted to punch that guy in the face! "This proves again how stupid humans actually are. The match is over, we won." He placed his foot on the soccer ball and it started to emit a bright purple light.

My feet took trembling steps forward, faster and faster. I wouldn't let it end like this. He injured my teammates and my friends, he destroyed our school... He was gonna pay for that! I reached Reize just as the light couldn't possibly be brighter and I only saw a faint silhouette of him.

My teammates, who had followed the scene with widened eyes, blocked the light with their hands. When it disappeared and they looked at the field again, Gemini Storm was gone.

And so was I.

* * *

><p>There was a high-pitched beeping sound. I didn't know for how long I had heard it, I just realized it now. I tried to open my eyes and succeeded after a few attempts. What I saw surprised me. There was a green curtain all around me, muffling the sounds of others in the room. I laid in a bed with white covers and next to me was a beeping machine. A breathing machine.<p>

... Wait, what?!

I shot up, suddenly filled with panic and adrenalin. There was a needle in my arm that was attached to an infusion. What was this? Where was I? Was I in a hospital? But why? The pace of the beeps increased and a few seconds after, the curtain was shoved aside. A small nurse looked at me with a relieved expression. "Good to see that you're awake," she smiled and she grabbed my shoulders to gently push me back down on the bed.

"Wha..." I croaked. my throat was really dry and I was glad that the nurse offered me a glass of water. "What happened?" I asked. Her smile faltered a bit.

"You were brought in this morning, unconscious. We don't know what happened to you. If you feel alright, would you mind talking to a policeman?"

_Policeman?!_ I thought, but I nodded nonetheless. After all, I was a good girl. There's no way I would be in trouble... right?

A young policeman, whose name was Carl, according to his name tag, entered a few minutes later and flashed me a kind smile. "Hello, [l/n]-san. How are you feeling right now?"

"Good."

"That's good to hear. Say, [l/n]-san, do you know what those aliens did to you?"

_Aliens?_ And then I remembered. My match with Gemini Storm, the fast and powerful aliens from Aliea Gakuen. We lost to them. And then they destroyed our school. And then... Nothing.

"The aliens... They damaged our school... After we lost... Is everyone alright?"

He made a calming gesture. "Everyone is perfectly safe, [l/n]," he said. "You and your teammates put up a good fight."

"We lost..."_  
><em>

"You did the best you could. But I would like to know what happened after the match."

"After the match?"

"When you disappeared. Your teammates testified that they saw you walk towards them and when the aliens disappeared, so did you."

My eyes widened at his words. "I... I remember we lost... And then they destroyed our school... And then... Then... I don't remember."

I started to panic. What happened? Why couldn't I remember? What did those aliens do to me? Carl leaned forward and softly stroke my hand.

"Shh, relax. It's okay. We already did some tests on you and it doesn't seem like they did anything to you. Physically, I mean." I blushed a little at the mere thought of what he was implying and quickly changed the subject.

"How long... was I gone?"

"The match was yesterday afternoon and you were found this morning around ten." He eyed me with worry in his eyes. "I'll leave you alone, you need some rest." He stood up and left, and then I was all alone with my thoughts.

* * *

><p>When I got out of the hospital, I was literally attacked by the press. Everyone wanted a picture and an interview with 'the girl that had been abducted by aliens'. Many believed that my brains had been swapped with an alien's brain - like in those bad science fiction films - and some even wanted to cut me open to check it! Luckily, my family and friends didn't allow any of it and got me out of those mad crowds before anything bad happened.<p>

After three months, the whole hysteria finally died down. I still didn't remember what those aliens had done to me, though. I often wondered about it, but no matter how much I thought, everything remained blank. But that was okay, because I wanted to forget them as well! I didn't feel any need to confront Reize or his team again and ask him what happened. Shivers ran down my spine at the mere thought of it!

Besides, there was no way I could do that, since it appeared that Gemini Storm had been exiled. They had played a match against the winner of the Football Frontier Tournament. It seems that they beated the aliens after a couple of matches. And then, when everything seemed to be over, a new team appeared and exiled Reize and his teammates. Gemini Storm turned out to be only the second rank team and this new team, Epsilon, continued the fight with Raimon. It was then that I turned completely away from the entire event, desperately trying to forget everything about the aliens, just like I forgot everything that happened after my match with Gemini Storm.

* * *

><p>A little while later, all the alien-mayhem finally died down. I was glad of course, but didn't really look into the whole matter. All I knew was that this Raimon team had defeated Alea Gakuen's strongest team, the Genisis, and that everything was normal again.<p>

My life changed for the better after a new student enrolled in my school. He was kind, witty, handsome and a really nice guy overall. It had been a few weeks since he transferred here and we became really close friends in this short time span. It turned out that we had a lot in common, like favourite books, films and music, and we spent a lot of time together. And somewhere along the track, my feelings for him changed. I felt warm inside whenever he smiled or looked at me. And I simply adored his face when he stated one of his proverbs, which he did pretty often.

Two days ago, he confessed to me. It was a shocker, really, because I honestly believed that my feelings were one-sided. I still smiled at the memory of his confession. He had grabbed my hand after class and led me to a part of school where there was no one around. Then he turned around and started to ramble while staring at the ground. It was hard to follow, but the last words were crystal clear. He looked up and said in a serious tone: "I can't fight it anymore... I think I'm in love with you."

My heart had thumped so hard that I was afraid it would burst out of my chest. Too dumbfounded to answer, I did the first thing that came into mind and hugged him tightly. "I think I love you too, Midorikawa Ryuuji."

.

That was two days ago and Midorikawa and I were now an official couple. I stood near the school gate, waiting for him, when my view was suddenly blocked by a pair of hands. "Guess who," someone whispered and I smiled.

"Ryuuji-kun." The hands disappeared and when I turned around, I looked into the deep black eyes of my boyfriend. "Good morning," I smiled and leaned in to kiss his lips. However, he seemed to panic and he even leaned back to avoid the kiss. He kissed me on the forehead instead, muttering a reply. Then he took my hand and walked me to class. His actions bothered me a bit. Why did he act so distant when I wanted to kiss him? Now that I thought about it, he hadn't kissed me before this, either. Not on the mouth, at least.

Strange, but I decided to shrug it off.

* * *

><p>During break, it happened again. We ate our lunch on the rooftop, enjoying the pretty view, and I figured that this was the perfect moment for a romantic kiss. That's why I leaned in, but Ryuuji dodged me again. Just like this morning, he evaded my lips and planted a quick kiss on my cheek. I pouted, but didn't say anything and resumed eating. Was I pushing him or something? But he confessed to me, didn't he? Then why didn't he want to kiss me?<p>

"Ryuuji-kun? Why won't you kiss me?" I once read that it wasn't good to keep annoyances and questions inside, since it could wreck a relationship. That was why I asked him straightforwardly.

"What do you mean? I've kissed you this morning, haven't I?"

"But not on the lips..." He tensed up at my words, placed his lunch box down and looked at his feet. His actions confused me and, even more so, made me feel guilty. "Ryuuji? What's wrong?"

His head shot up and a fake smile was plastered on his face. I could tell that it was fake because it was way too cheery for his mood a few seconds ago. "There's nothing wrong. I eh... I'm just a bit hungry."

"But you just ate," I pointed out.

His face grew paler. "Ahaha, did I say hungry? I mean, eh... Tired! Yeah, I'm very tired, didn't sleep very well last night." He yawned to emphasize his point, but I didn't fall for it. Instead I shifted closer to him and took his hand.

"Ryuuji-kun, please tell me what's bothering you."

"I-I told you, there's n-nothing wrong."

"What are you hiding, Ryuuji-kun? I know you're lying."

He tried to keep his act up, but after a few seconds he sighed and looked at his feet. He muttered something, but it was too soft to hear. I bent forward. "What did you say?"

"I said I didn't want you to hate me, okay?"

"Why on earth would I hate you?"

He ignored my question and went on. "I mean, we just got together and I really love you... I don't want to lose you."

"Ryuuji, calm down. I won't hate you, I promise. I love you."

He looked at me with great hesitance. "You can say that now, but-"

I cut him off by kissing him on the lips. It seemed like the right way to convince him of my feelings, and I got what I wanted at the same time. Win-win, right? I hugged him during the kiss and after a few seconds, he hugged me back and returned the kiss. When we parted, I smiled at him. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

But then it happened. Something began to play in my head, like a film. I saw the alien team from months ago, Gemini Storm, standing right in front of me. The match had ended and my school was destroyed. This was where the memory usualy stopped, but this time, it continued.

_I raised myself from the ground. "It's... It's not over yet!" Reize, the alien captain, sent me an amused and cocky glance._

_"This proves again how stupid humans actually are. The match is over, we won." He placed his foot on the soccer ball and it started to emit a bright purple light._

_My feet took trembling steps forward, faster and faster. When I reached him, the soccer ball at his feet emitted so much light that I could barely make out my surroundings. When it dimmed again, I wasn't on the soccer field anymore. Shocked and curious at the same time, I looked around. I was in some kind of base._

_Someone grabbed my hands and held them behind my back. Before I could struggle, something was put around my wrists to prevent me from moving. The person roughly turned me around and pushed me forward. I lost my balance and fell to my knees._

_Two feet came into my sight and when I looked up, I stared straight in the cold, black eyes of Reize. He looked down at me and I gulped under his angry gaze._

_"What do we do with her, Reize-sama?" one of his teammates asked. I trembled and felt how my breathing sped up when I realised what they were asking exactly._

_"I'll take care of this, you are dismissed." In the blink of an eye, his teammates left the room and I was alone with him. I__ shuddered under his gaze and looked away. __"My, my," his voice sounded from above me. "What have you gotten yourself into?" He took a strand of my hair and placed it behind my ear. Careful, almost caring. But I had seen how he played and I knew that whatever happened after this, it would probably be bad. I closed my eyes and forced my tears back as I waited for him to let go of me. "Stand up."_

_He placed his hand on my back and guided me out of the room. We walked though a few different corridors and I lost count of how many times we turned left and right. We stopped in front of a door, which Reize unlocked by placing his hand on a scanner. I didn't want to enter the dark room behind the door, but Reize was strict and sternly pushed me forward. It turned out to be a bedroom. _

_Reize told me to sit down on the bed and after I did what he told me, he closed the door behind him and locked it again. I bit my lip. Even if I managed to free my arms, I probably couldn't open the door without him.__Reize sat down on the chair and stared at me. I had pulled my legs in front of me, as if it was a shield, and pushed my back against the wall. I could feel how the warmth was drained from my body by the metal wall, but I didn't care. I'd rather be cold than sit closer to Reize than needed._

_"Now, what do you thing I should do with you?" he asked eventually. _

_My heart beat in my throat and made it impossible for me to speak, even if I wanted to. Eventually, I managed to whisper:__"Please, just let me go home."_

_"I can't do that, you already know to much."_

_"Are you going to k-kill me?" My voice shook and I felt how I lost the fight against my tears. A few of them escaped from my eyes and ran down my cheeks at the thought of dying. Reize merely looked at me before he got up and walked closer to me. I wanted to back away, but my back was already against the wall. I had nowhere to run to. He raised his hand and carefully wiped a tear from my face. His fingers lingered on my skin._

_"No, I'm not going to kill you."_

_Despite my situation, I heaved a sigh of relieve. But those short seconds that I let my guard down, were a few too many. Reize's hand shifted from my cheek to my chin and he gently forced me to look up. Once I looked him in the eye, I knew that I had made a mistake. But since my hands were still tied behind my back, I couldn't do anything against him._

_I felt how I got lost in his eyes, two deep black abysses that mesmerised me. My body became heavier and I was not able to move anymore. I could only stare. Stare into those deep black eyes. I tried to ask him what was going on, but my voice didn't cooperate._

_"It's okay," he said, as if he had read my thoughts. "I'm putting you under hypnosis, that's all. You are going to forget everything that happened after the match, you understand? You will fall asleep and when you wake up, you won't remember anything that happened in this base."_

_My eyelids already got heavier, no matter how much I fought against it. Reize, who still held my chin, leaned in and kissed me on the lips. Yes, this alien KISSED me. But I didn't have the energy anymore to resist or think anything of it. I was so sleepy! My eyes had already fallen close when Reize pulled back from the kiss. He spoke again, and the words danced behind my closed eyelids._

_"Until that happens again, you won't remember anything."_

* * *

><p>I rubbed my temples and tried to process this new information. Was this really a memory? A memory of what happened that time? So I had been hypnotized by them? And that captain, Reize, had kissed me?!<p>

Wait, but those last words... _"Until that happens again, you won't remember anything about this."_ 'That' obviously referred to the kiss, and since I now remembered everything, it meant that 'that' had happened again... Right after my kiss with Midorikawa! But... Did that mean that... No, it couldn't be, could it?

I slowly turned my gaze to the green-haired male sitting next to me. He had buried his face in his hands and looked like he expected a punishment. I hesitated a while, not sure what to do. "Reize?" I eventually asked in a soft tone, but loud enough for him to hear.

He tensed up at the mention of the name and slowly raised himself up. I could see the fear in his eyes when he looked at me. He adverted his gaze and looked to the sky instead, faking a smile once more. "It's been a long time since anyone called me by my alien name."

My eyes widened and my mouth fell open. So it _was_ true. Midorikawa was Reize. "Does that mean that you're an alien?" I dared to ask.

"No, Reize was a human."

And then he told me everything. He told me about the orphanage where he lived and about his 'Father' who had a big plan. He told me about how and why Aliea Gakuen was created and about the soccer matches with Raimon and how everything ended. The bell rung halfway his story, but neither of us bothered to return to class.

In the end, he also told me about that afternoon. He told me how he fell in love with meu the moment he saw me and that he had ordered his teammates that they weren't allowed to hurt me. He told me about the side effects of the Aliea Meteorite that enabled him to hypnotize people with his eyes. He told me how he took care of me for the rest of the night and how he left me near the hospital the next morning. He told me how guilty he felt after the hypnosis, because he had stolen what was most likely my very first kiss.

"I couldn't hold myself back anymore, that's why I came up with that last condition: that you would regain your memory if that happened again."

"A kiss to unlock my memories, huh?"

"I was scared that you'd hate me if you knew it, so I didn't want to kiss you... I didn't want to lose you. At first I thought that if I avoided you, everything would be fine. But my feelings for you grew stronger and stronger and in the end, I confessed to you. And then I thought that as long as I didn't kiss you on the lips, everything would be fine. I dodged you two times, but-"

"The third time is a charm," I finished his sentence.

"A charm, she says," he scoffed. "My love hates me because of this charm."

"I don't hate you, Ryuuji-kun."

He blinked. "You don't?"

"No, I don't. I think that a lot happened back there and that you were looking out for me the best you could. Besides, doesn't it sound cool to date an alien?" I finished playfully and grinned.

He grinned back, but seemed to feel a little uneasy when I called him an alien. "Thanks, I guess? But I'm not a real a-" I cut him off by pecking his lips and I felt him smile when he returned the brief liplock.

"I'm glad I can do that more often now. Don't you agree, Rei~ze~kun?" I said in a singsong voice and snickered softly when he blushed.

"Can you stop calling me that? It makes me feel a little uneasy."

"Uneasy? But I kinda like it. It has a nice ring to it, don't you agree? Reize-kun, Reize-kun... Oh, I know! It'll be my special nickname for you!"

Midorikawa froze in place when he realized how much I was teasing him. "You..."

The bell rang, indicating another period was about to start. I looked at the door. "I bet sensei will be pretty mad with us when we show up. Should we go back?" I looked at my boyfriend and the playful smirk returned to my face. "Or are you going to kidnap me again?"

Midorikawa sighed, put his lunchbox in his bag, briskly stood up, grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the roof's exit. "Let's go back to class," he said softly yet annoyed. I giggled at his bright red cheeks and happily skipped behind him.

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><p><strong>Me: What. Was. THAT?! .\ Seriously, what the heck did I write?! I'm sorry if this is rushed/crappy/full of mistakes or just completely idiotic. Feel free to flame in the reviews.**

**Midorikawa: Don't worry, Att-chan. It was nice... sortof...**

**Me: Uhg, wow, that cheers me up (NOT) =.=**

**Anyways, please leave a review with what you think of this chapter. I won't be updating any of my stories in a few weeks, because my test week starts soon and after that, I'm going a week to LONDON (OH MY FLIPPING GOD, IMMA GO TO LONDON~! ^^)**

**IE-cast: *sweatdrop***

**Me: ... And I'm not sure whether I have time to write. Okay, as I said, Taiyou will be next, but feel free to vote for any other character for the one after Taiyou.**

**Bye!**


	11. Amemiya Taiyou

**Me: Hello everybody! Welcome to the cosmic soccer world!**

**IE-cast: *sweatdrop***

**Me: Gehehe, I watched another episode of Inazuma Eleven Go Galaxy today! :3 I'm so sad that the series is over! Q.Q Although I heard some rumors about a new season... Does anybody know anything about that? If you do, please tell me in a review! O.o**

**Anyways, I didn't have any tests today, so I just had a day off from school. And I decided to use that time to write this. I hope you all like it and please tell me what you think of it, okay?**

**I don't own Inazuma Eleven (GO/Chrono Stone/Galaxy/possible seasons to come).**

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><p><em><strong>Amemiya Taiyou ~ Best friend<strong>_

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><p>I closed the door of my bedroom behind me while silent tears ran down my cheeks. Clark's words echoed through my mind, like they did the entire way home. <em>"[fn]… Maybe we should put an end to us. I mean, it's… It's not the same as when we started out, you know what I mean?"_

I knew what he meant, but I was still sad. After all, Clark and I had been together for almost three months. 87 days… That wasn't something to throw aside like it was nothing… Though I had to admit, it really didn't work out anymore. It clicked between us at the start, but things just… changed. I don't really know how else to put it, but at some point I just knew that Clark wasn't my true love.

Nonetheless, I did like him. He was kind, sweet and not ugly at all. He had been a good friend of mine before we started dating. _"We can still be friends, right?"_ he had asked after he broke up with me. I had agreed, but I knew that it wouldn't be that way. Things would only be awkward between us and eventually, we would try to avoid the awkwardness by avoiding each other. And then we would stop talking to each other. And then we would both move on. But we wouldn't be close friends anymore, not like we were before. That was another reason why I was sad that he broke up with me. I didn't want to lose a friend like him.

I sat down on my bed, staring at the wall opposite me. My phone buzzed, signalling a new text message. At first I didn't want to look, but my curiosity eventually won over my sadness. It was a text from Taiyou.

_Taiyou: And? How was your date with mister Six Pack? Should I call you Mrs. Pack now?_

Taiyou always gave my boyfriend dumb nicknames and he refused to call him Clark, no matter how much I scolded him for it. But his text couldn't lift up my spirits, not even a bit.

_[f/n]: Don't wanna talk about it._

After that I switched off my phone to avoid more messages and continued to stare at the walls. Taiyou had been my best friend ever since he became my neighbour. We used to do everything together, and we could always tell each other everything. But changed once I started dating someone. Suddenly, Taiyou was often absent from my life. Whenever I asked him to walk home with me, he came up with excuses like 'extra soccer practice' or 'an assignment that he needed to make at school'.

Taiyou and I lived in the same terraced house and Taiyou's bedroom was on the same side as mine, so we could talk to each other when we leaned out of the window. Back in elementary, we had made a communication system between our rooms, so we could send each other secret messages. It was basically a long wire that ran from my room to his with a big bucket that hung on it. In the bucket, we would place our 'secret messages' and then the other would tug the rope so that he would get the message. The fact that this whole secret communication system was clearly visible to anyone who passed the house didn't bother us. Neither did the fact that it broke down after fifteen minutes.

I smiled absent-mindedly at this childhood memory, when a loud knock on the window broke me out of my thoughts. I slowly got up and moved over to the window, only to see…

"Taiyou?!"

"[f/n], hurry up and open the window, it's freezing out here." Yup, Taiyou was standing on the angled roof, just outside my window.

"Taiyou, what on earth are you doing there?"

"I'm convincing my friend not to let me freeze to death." I quickly opened the window for him and he was inside within five seconds, rubbing his hands and jumping up and down to regain some warmth. The whole picture was just weird and I couldn't help but let out a chuckle. "God, it's cold," Taiyou complained.

"Why are you here, Taiyou?"

"I'm here because my best friend is crying."

"I'm not crying," I said while turning away and rubbing my eyes. My mascara had probably left a trail on my face, making me look ridiculous. I didn't want Taiyou to see me like that. Taiyou softly grabbed my wrists and pulled my hands away from my eyes. He looked at me with a serious expression, his face only lightened by the light of the moon.

"Really?" he asked quasi-serious. "Then I advise you to be less exorbitant with your mascara, you look like a panda bear."

Despite my sadness, I laughed at his words. This was the Taiyou I knew, this was my best friend. Of course I had been busy doing things with Clark, but my life felt kinda empty without Taiyou. It had bothered me a lot, but now I was just glad that he was there for me when I needed him.

"He broke up with you, didn't he?" Taiyou asked as we sat down on my bed. I nodded silently but there were no tears. "I'm sorry," Taiyou muttered while he rubbed my back in a soothing manner.

"It's okay," I answered bravely, but I felt my bottom lip tremble. "It just wasn't... wasn't meant to be. I guess I knew that from the start."

"Then why did you start dating him?"

"I don't know... I guess because I wanted to know what love is like?"

He chuckled silently in my hair as he pulled me slightly closer to his body. "You'll find out eventually. Who knows? Maybe your true love is closer than you think."

* * *

><p>"Ohayo!" an all to familiar voice yelled near my ear and I shot up. I groaned when I saw Taiyou's grinning face.<p>

"It's too early, lemme sleep." I pulled the blankets and wanted to go back to sleep, but Taiyou had other plans. He pulled the blankets off, exposing me to the cold morning air. I still wore my outfit from yesterday evening, since I didn't change when I came home. I shivered and tried to take the blankets back, but Taiyou annoyingly kept them out of my reach. Soon I surrendered, groaned and sent my best friend a death glare before I got up.

"Come on, [f/n]-chan, hurry up. We have a busy day ahead of us," Taiyou chirped while he opened my closet and tossed some random clothing to me. I didn't know how many boys chose the outfit for their best friends, but Taiyou did it every now and then. The only downside was that he didn't have a great fashion sense.

"Not that, Taiyou, it'll- No... No, not that either... Ugh, just let me do it, okay? I'll be done in five minutes."

"You better be! Let me see, five minutes is five times sixty, so it's three hundred seconds. 300, 299, 298, 297, 296, 295..." I rolled my eyes at him and picked some casual clothes.

"Why is it a busy day?" I asked as I pulled yesterday's shirt over my head. Taiyou's back faced me to give me a little privacy, but he didn't leave the room. It didn't really bother me, though. We used to do things like this all the time when we were younger. It wasn't the first time I changed clothes with him in the room. However, it was the first time that myy insides fluttered a bit, but I shrugged that uncomfortable feeling off.

"I've got lots of things planned for you. We are going to get mister Peanutbrain out of your pretty little head."

"I thought you called him mister Six Pack?"

"I did, but that guy must have a brain the size of a peanut if he breaks up with you, so mister Peanutbrain seems more suitable to me."

I did my best not to laugh. Taiyou could always make me happy when I was down, but right now, I didn't want to be happy. Sounds weird, huh? But simply put, I just wanted to sit and think for a while. "You shouldn't bother yourself."

"It's not a bother at all. I'm going to make you smile."

"Then you've got to be very funny today, because I don't really feel like smiling at the moment."

"[f/n], you underestimate me," Taiyou spoke as he turned around and went to stand in front of me. His expression was dead serious as he placed both of his index fingers in the corners of my mouth and moved them up. My lips followed and formed a strange, somewhat creepy smile, which was more like a show of teeth. "I will always make you smile."

I laughed at his reasoning and moved back to get rid of his fingers. My cheeks were a little darker than before. "Baka. Did you stay here all night?"

"No, I went home after you fell asleep. I just got back. Don't worry, I used the front door this time."

"Did you have breakfast already?"

"Nope, but your mother bought croissants, so I thought maybe we could share?"

"Profiteer," I muttered.

"You know me so well," Taiyou chirped as he followed me to the kitchen.

* * *

><p>After breakfast, Taiyou almost dragged me out of my house. "O-oi, Taiyou, not so fast!" I yelled, but he wouldn't even budge. He just pulled me along, so I sighed an focussed on keeping up with him. My eyebrow rose when we entered the park. Taiyou slowed down to look around as if he was searching for something and I gratefully used this moment to catch my breath and look around. I hadn't been here since forever! It was the park where we used to play when Taiyou and I were still kids.<p>

"Ah, over there," Taiyou happily muttered as he took me hand again and pulled me along, though gentler than before. His touch sent a tingle all the way through my arm until it reached my spine. It was a strange feeling, but not necessarily unpleasant. When Taiyou stopped, it took me a few seconds to realize where he had taken me.

"Taiyou... Why did you bring me petting zoo?"

That's right. A particular area in the park was divided into smaller squares and that was there the little animals were kept. Goats, sheep, bunnies... The people could feed them or pet them and it was quite a popular attraction nowadays. Taiyou stepped over the fence that held the bunnies back and extended his hand to help me over it as well.

"Are you serious?" I asked. We were far older than the other visitors at the moment, who were all little children. The two of us kind of stood out, but Taiyou didn't seem bothered by it.

"Yeah, come on. You still love bunnies, don't you?" I nodded slowly and hesitantly took his hand before I followed him to the other side. _Bunnies were my favourite animals. I told him that when I was seven! I can't believe he still remembers that,_ I thought as I crouched down to pet one of the animals.

We spent a few hours in the petting zoo and I genuinely thought that my day couldn't get any better. The bunnies weren't afraid at all and when I sat down, a few even jumped on my lap. Taiyou invented the so-called 'bunny hat' after a while, when he had placed a chubby white bunny on his head. It looked so funny that I rolled over the ground from laughter. So yeah, we were having quite a good time when Taiyou took my hand again and guided me out of the park.

"Where are we going now?" I asked curiously, but I also enjoyed the touch of our hands. It was weird. After all, this wasn't the first time he held my hand, so why did it feel so different all of a sudden?

"We are going to the shopping district," Taiyou replied.

"The shopping district? I thought you hated shopping?"

"I detest it."

"Then why are we going there?"

"Because you _do_ like it, and today is all about you, so we're going to the shopping district."

I blushed. "You don't have to do that for me, Taiyou."

"Really? Pfiew... But we're going anyways, because there's one thing I need to pick up for you."

"O... kay?"

"Here we are!" Taiyou exclaimed as he opened the door of a print shop.

"Why on earth are we here?"

"I told you, I need to pick up something for you." Silence was in the air as the shop assistant looked for Taiyou's order. Taiyou took it, paid for it and then walked back to the park with me. As we both sat down in the shade of a tree, he handed the package to me. "Here you go, I hope you like it."

I was now more curious than ever about the package and quickly opened it. It was a simple white t-shirt. I shot Taiyou a questioning glance, but he gestured that I should take it out of the box. I did as he wanted and when I held the shirt in the air, I saw what he meant. "Do you like it?" Taiyou asked. "I came up with the text myself."

"When... When did you order this?" I asked as I placed the shirt on my lap.

"Actually... A few days ago already. I kind of had the feeling that it wouldn't work out between you and mister Peanutbrain."

"You really need to stop calling him that," I snapped, but I laughed at the same time. Taiyou smiled so brightly that my cheeks heated up and I felt something fluttering in my stomach. Why on earth was I feeling like this today? I looked down, but as soon as my eyes caught sight of the shirt, I smiled as well. The words Taiyou had chosen were clearly visible: 'I'm Single'. Beneath it, in smaller letters, was written: 'And you gotta be damn awesome to change that'.

* * *

><p>When the sun was already setting, the both of us were still sitting in the park. I wore Taiyou's gift and earned many looks with it, but I didn't care about that. The rest of the day, we had done fun things that either reminded me of our childhood with Taiyou or were something I always wanted to do.<p>

Right now, we were enjoying an ice cream cone as we watched the pretty sunset. There was barely anybody left in the park, so it was very quiet at the moment. "Taiyou?" I started, not adverting my eyes from the glowing ball in the distance.

"Hm?"

"Thank you for today, you made me really happy."

"I'm glad that you say that."

"I was afraid that it wouldn't be the same anymore, you know? When I started dating Clark, you-"

"When you started dating _who?_"

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "When I started dating _mister Peanutbrain, _happy now?"

"Very," he nodded as he turned his head to look and smile at me. "That name suits him very well."

I rolled my eyes again. "Whatever. As I was saying, when I started dating him, it seemed like you disappeared from my life." He kept silent and his smile faltered a bit. "Why did you do that, Taiyou?"

"Why did I... Well, because I suddenly realized that you and I are both so cool that if we are together for too long, we might cause a nuclear explosion of awesomeness."

I laughed at his response and licked my ice cream. The warm weather made it melt pretty fast and I could barely keep up. "Then we're putting mankind in great danger at the moment, don't you think?"

"I'm willing to take the risk."

Silence hung in the air until I broke it again. "But seriously, why did you go away?"

"I..." He closed his eyes for a few seconds as his voice trailed off. I didn't mind and waited patiently for him to finish his sentence. I knew him well enough to know that he did this when he was mentally preparing for something. "I didn't want to be in your way."

"Huh?"

"Well, I-I... I saw how happy you became when you were with that guy, so I didn't want to ruin it all for you."

"Ruin it for me?"

"Y-Yeah... Uhm... C-can I just be really honest with you right now?"

I nodded. "Sure."

"Okay..." He took a few deep breaths and closed his eyes again. When he opened them, he looked at me with a serious look. "[f/n]... I like you. A lot. More than a lot. A lot a lot."

"Wh-what?"

"I didn't want to ruin the happiness you had with someone else to secure my own, so I distanced myself from you. Seeing you happy is enough for me, [f/n]."

"Taiyou..."

He liked me. He. Liked. Me. Amemiya Taiyou, my childhood friend and current best friend, _liked_ me. What should I say in reply? What did I feel for him? I liked him too, of course, but only as a friend... right? I recalled the feelings I had when I was around him today. The fluttering in my stomach when I changed this morning. The tingling in my spine when he held my hand to drag you to the park. The bright red cheeks whenever he complemented me... Did I maybe like him in another way as well? Did I like like him? And if I did, should I tell him? What if it didn't work out? What if we broke up? Then I would never be such good friends with him again. We would grow apart, just like Clark and I would do... I couldn't afford to lose a friend that was as close as Taiyou.

"I'm willing to take the risk," he whispered softly. It was as if he had read my thoughts. He must have seen in my face that I was doubting and he responded to that by saying just what I needed to hear.

"I think I like you too, Taiyou. A lot a lot." It was soft, but I knew he had heard it because his head shot up. His expression changed from surprised to happy. He shuffled a bit towards me.

"Hey [f/n]... Can I kiss you?"

"Eh, sure?" He slowly leaned in. Shifting his shoulder so that he slightly hovered over me, he turned his head and closed his eyes. I did the same and soon, our lips softly touched. Taiyou tasted like the strawberry ice cream he was eating just seconds ago. Mine probably tasted like vanilla, but the ice creams in our hands were forgotten.

Until I suddenly felt something cold on my arm, that is. Startled as I was, I pulled away from the kiss and shot a glance at my arm, only to see it covered in a sticky pink substance.

"Yuck! Taiyou, you're ice cream is melting on my arm!" I complained and Taiyou burst out in laughter.

"You're just too hot, [f/n]" he joked.

"Haha, very funny... Not." Before he knew what was going on, I shoved my own melting ice cream in his face. His lips and part of his nose were covered in the milky white vanilla ice cream and he gave me a shocked expression. "Revenge," I giggled as I stuck out my tongue and tossed my ice cream cone away. Taiyou's cone already laid deserted in the grass.

Taiyou's face unfroze and he flashed me a cheeky smile. There was a twinkle in his eyes that I knew all to well, but before I could escape, Taiyou grabbed my wrists and pinned me down. "That was a mistake, [f/n]-chan," he whispered as his face came closer to mine. Upon realizing what he was trying to do, I squirmed even harder, but Taiyou was simply too strong. He planted his sticky lips on mine, making my face one big sticky mess as well. It became an even bigger mess when I started to struggle out of the kis.

"Taiyou," you scolded him as he pulled away. "Look at what you've done, I'm all dirty now!"

"You can use your new shirt to clean it up," he mooted. "After all, you can't wear that anymore and I hope you'll never wear it again." He glanced at the words. "Now I only have to prove that I'm damn awesome, ne?"

"You are," I ensured with a smile as I laid down on your back. Taiyou advanced, but didn't lean in. He was just hovering above me. "Just as damn awesome as I am. And together we'll cause a nuclear explosion of awesomeness, right?"

Taiyou smiled at the mention of his own joke and leaned in to capture my lips once again.

"Beware, mankind."

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><p><strong>Here it is! I hope you liked all the sticky kisses I put you through... Review please? :3<strong>


	12. Suzuno Fuusuke

**Me: Hello, it's me again! I'm here today with yet another story to pair you up with some (un?)fortunate Inazuma Eleven (GO/Chrono Stone/Galaxy) character. Today, it's (drumroll please)... GAZEL! ^^ Aka Suzuno Fuusuke, but I guess you already knew that. **

**I don't own anything and I don't get why I have to say that every time I post something =.=**

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><p><em><strong>Suzuno Fuusuke ~ Opposites attract<strong>_

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><p>You were looking through the stuff on the desk in front of you. It wasn't your desk - heck, it wasn't even your room - but you treated it as if it was yours. Allow me to introduce you to... well, to yourself. You are [ln] [f/n], though no one calls you that at the moment. The thing is, you are a part of the so-called Aliea Project. You were chosen as a player for one of the teams and got a new name, like everyone else in the orphanage. You would pretend to be aliens and attack Japan.

Gemini Storm was the second rank team, but they had been "exiled" and replaced by Epsilon a little while ago because they lost against Raimon. However, you weren't a player for Gemini Storm or Epsilon. Your team was even higher ranked, for it was one of the three Master Rank teams.

All three Master Rank teams held a special element: galaxy for Gaia, fire for Prominence and ice for Diamond Dust. None of you could choose the team you were in: father decided it. Since you were very hot-tempered and all, you were placed into Prominence. Your captain, Nagumo Har- I mean Burn, was very hot-tempered as well and quite aggressive, just like the other members. Your alien name - Flame - fitted the fire-related team perfectly.

Right now, you were in one of the bedrooms, but as said before, it wasn't your own. It wasn't even a bedroom in the Prominence wing of the building. On the opposite: it was a room in Diamond Dust's wing. Gazel's bedroom, to be more precise.

Rummaging through the things on the desk, you tried to find what you were looking for. The desk had been neat before you started, but now it was one big mess. Not that you cared though. Your heart sped up when soft voices and footsteps penetrated you and you ceased your movements, hoping that the people outside wouldn't notice you. It seemed like fate wasn't on your side, for you heard how they halted in front of the only way out of this room. _Great,_ you thought sourly as you continued looking through the stuff. They would notice you either way, so it would be better to make this time useful.

The door creaked open and you knew when they saw you because their conversation suddenly fell silent. "Come in," you said casually as you shifted you attention from the desk to the bookshelves. You could imagine their faces and tried to suppress a smile at the image. This wasn't the moment to let your guard down. Not when you were in enemy territory.

"Flame?!" You recognised the voice as Shirai Ikkaku's, the keeper of Diamond Dust. You slowly turned around and gave them a look like _they_ were the ones that were somewhere they were not supposed to, instead of the other way around.

"What do you think you are doing here?" you asked casually, still reversing the situation. Ikkaku was about to yell at you - and maybe even hit you, from the looks of it - but he was stopped by Gazel. Diamond Dust's captain chuckled to himself as if he saw something incredibly funny. However, there was no hint of laughter in his voice when he spoke.

"You are a Prominence member, standing in the room of Diamond Dust's captain in the Diamond Dust wing of the building. I would watch my tone if I were you." Both his voice and look were so cold that you felt how the temperature dropped a few degrees.

"I'm not afraid of you."

"You should be. What are you doing here anyways?"

Snap, you really couldn't say that right now. Not with Ikkaku standing there. You thought like a maniac, searching for a good excuse. Luckily, you were good at improvising. "Burn told me get something from your room. He said you stole it from him." You looked him straight in the eye while telling that lie and you didn't even blink.

"What?! Gazel-sama would never steal something from that low-down bug you call a captain!" Ikkaku butted in. "If anyone would steal, it would be Burn himself!"

"Watch your tone, smurf," you hissed.

Before Ikkaku could say another word, Gazel extended his hand and motioned him to stop. The blue-skinned boy sent his captain a questioning look. "Gazel-sama?"

"Ikkaku, you can leave now. Go to your room and rest, I heard dinner will be served in twenty minutes." Ikkaku hesitated for one second, then he stepped out the door. Gazel's cold eyes shifted from his teammate to you and you felt how your heartbeat sped up a bit. Not much though, just a little. "As for you, you are not going anywhere until you tidied up the mess you made and apologize for falsely accusing me." He spoke loudly and you were sure that everyone that was in the hallway could hear it.

You replied just as loud. "Go to hell." You quickly paced forward, but Gazel closed the door with his back. A quick motion of his hand and the sound of a door being locked told you that your only way out of this room was cut.

As was the only way in.

_Good. _

"Gazel, open the frigging door!" you yelled. You grabbed his shoulders and pushed him against the door. He let you, even though he was clearly able to dodge you. There were five seconds of silence, in which both of you listened. There was a fading sound of footsteps in the distance, which indicated that Ikkaku indeed went back to his room.

When you turned your attention back to Gazel, you found him smirking widely at you. You couldn't help but smirk back as the both of you leaned in. Your lips met in a kiss that was both forceful and passionate, just as the both of you liked it.

Were you surprised that the captain your rival team suddenly kissed you? Not really.

This is what you have been doing for a few weeks now. Every moment you were both free, you would look each other up and make out (to put it bluntly). The kisses were always rough and passionate, and they never lasted long enough. But because you had so little time to enjoy each other's company, the kisses that you did get felt like heaven.

Gazel softly pushed you backwards and you didn't even notice it until your feet bumped against the bed and you fell down with Gazel on top of you. The sudden movement forced you to break the kiss and during the process, Gazel bit your tongue. "Ow," you muttered and glared at him while he just laughed from the shock. When he finally realized your glare, he only quirked an amused eyebrow at you.

"What?"

"You. Bit. My. Tongue," you said angrily.

"Aaw~ Does wittle [f/n]-chan's twongue hurt?" Your reply to this was to punch him in his side, leaving him gasping for air. It wasn't a hard punch, but it was enough to take him by surprise.

"Watch it, snowman," you glared. The two of you shared another kiss and you had to break it too soon. You pouted, but Gazel sternly shook his head. "No, now we have to get back to business. You still have to clean up that mess."

You groaned and didn't move from your spot. Gazel and you had some sort of staring challenge, until he sighed and turned away, starting to clean up the mess himself. "Whatever," he muttered. "You would make it an even bigger mess anyways. By the way, why were you here?"

"I lost my watch and I thought that I left it here."

"Ah yes, it's in the pocket of my jacket," he pointed. You got up while he continued cleaning.

"I'll be going then, dinner is served in a few minutes."

"Wait a second, you still need to apologize, remember?"

"Apologize?"

"For falsely accusing me."

You wanted to punch him to get rid of the smug smile on his face, but you figured that he was right. So you approached him and planted a brief kiss on his lips. "I'm sorry."

"Hmm, this never gets old," he smiled. "Alright now, you may go." He sent you away with a dismissive gesture, like you were his servant, and it made your blood boil. Before you processed it yourself, you stumped on his foot. Or rather, you stumped on the ground where his foot was just a second ago. It seems like he saw it coming and dodged you. That was to be expected. After all, the two of you had been dating for a few weeks already.

"Ugh," you growled in annoyance as you turned and walked towards the door.

"I love you, [f/n]."

"I love you too, Fuusuke."

Yes, right this moment, you were still [f/n] and he was still Fuusuke. But as soon as one of you stepped out of that door, you were Flame and he was Gazel. Two complete opposites, known as mortal enemies. You sighed as you closed the door behind you. _Why is it all so complicated?_

.

Half of the time during dinner was spent sending glares to the other teams. Sometimes, mocks and curses were exchanged between members from different teams. In other words, dinner was just as normal as always.

You occasionally stared at Gazel, but not so long that it would get noticed. One time, Gazel looked back at you. One second, two seconds, then you changed your stare into a glare. No one could know about your feelings for him. If anyone found out, Burn would kick you out of Prominence and Gazel would lose all respect from his teammates. They might even go as far as to depose him.

No, it was better for everyone that your relationship remained a secret.

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><p>You kissed his eyelids. "Feeling better already?" His grip around you tightened a bit, but he didn't respond. You smirked a little, because you knew that you guessed right. "Don't let it get to you, you'll beat that Raimon team next time."<p>

"There might not be a next time," he muttered. "Gran told us yesterday that Gaia will become the Genesis. That person said so."

"What?!" you hissed. Gaia would get the Genesis title when Prominence didn't even get a chance to show off with that human team?! Gazel removed one hand from your back to your mouth, thus preventing you to make any other noise.

"Quiet!" He kept his hand there for a little longer before he removed it and replaced it by his lips. You let your anger fade to the background as you deepened the kiss. Gazel slowly hovered over you and you sunk deeper into his futon. But just as you got carried away, there was a bang on the door.

"Gazel! Open the freaking door!" You parted the kiss and stared with widened eyes at the door. _T-that voice..._

"Damn, I forgot he would come today," Gazel muttered against to your lips.

"Fuusuke, what's Burn doing here?"

"No time. Quick, hide in the closet." You were about to protest and demand an explanation, but Burn banged on the door again. You decided to swallow your pride and do as Gazel told you. As you pressed yourself between his clothes and closed the closet doors, Gazel opened the door of his room. You peeked through the openings and saw a very angry-looking Burn.

"Finally, it's about time you opened," he growled as he walked in. You unconsciously flinched. "Why did you lock it, anyways?"

"That's nothing of your concern," Gazel said coldly.

Burn heaved a heavy sigh. "Whatever. Anyways, these are the members I selected for Chaos." He threw a folded paper at Gazel, who caught it without effort. _Chaos?_ you thought. _What are they talking about?_

"Wait a second, we agreed that you would be the captain, so why the hell did you choose five of your team members? You know that we would use six of Diamond Dust and five of Prominence, including the both of us." You knew from his tone that Gazel was glaring at your captain.

"Diamond Dust players suck. There's a reason that you lost to Raimon, you know? If we want to obtain the Genesis title with Chaos, we'll need more Prominence players."

Gazel growled to himself, but much to your surprise, he agreed. "How about we do it like this. You choose four other Prominence players and I four other Diamond Dust players. You'll be captain, so I'll choose the final member from your team. How does that sound?"

"It sounds like a lot of trouble and useless effort to me, but if it'll make you stop whining, go ahead. I'll choose Nepper, Heat, Bomber and Grent. You?"

"Rhionne, Droll, Clara and Gokka. As for the final member... I choose Flame." Your eyes widened. _He chose me?_

"Flame? Why her?"

"I said it before, it's nothing of your concern."

"Fine," Burn grumbled. "Main soccer grounds, fifteen minutes, don't be late." Then he walked out of the door and left Gazel behind.

"[f/n]? You can come out," he said as he closed the door.

"What was that all about?"

"Burn and I are merging Diamond Dust and Prominence to create the ultimate team, Chaos. We won't let Gran get away that easily with the Genesis title."

"I see. So... now what?"

He flashed you a half-smile, which seriously made him look like a sexy norwegian god or something. "Didn't you hear your captain? Main soccer grounds, fifteen minutes, don't be late."

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><p>Let's be honest, practice sucked. You and Burn were the only Prominence players that could connect their passes with Diamond Dust's players. Every time Heat or Bomber passed to them, it went out of bounds or it got intercepted. Nepper and Grent didn't even make the effort to pass to Diamond Dust.<p>

Speaking of Diamond Dust, the players cooperated neatly. They passed to Prominence players when they needed to and really tried to make Chaos work. If only those morons from your former team would open their eyes and put a little effort in it as well...

Nepper currently had the ball, but you knew he wouldn't pass it to Rhionne, who was unmarked. She called out for him to pass the ball, but he merely shot her a glance before he prepared to pass... to Bomber. You gritted you teeth, that idiot would never learn, would he? Burn already scolded him for acting this way, but he still did it.

Before Nepper could pass the ball to Bomber, you stole the ball from him using a sliding. It totally surprised him, since he didn't expect his own teammate to act like this. Well, maybe the teammates that were former Diamond Dust players, but you... you were a Prominence!

"Flame?!" he exclaimed in surprise. You glared at him before you sent the ball to Rhionne.

"Go!" you shouted whilst you looked her in the eye. She nodded to you and sped up, successfully passing the players that came to block her. You got up and wanted to move up too, but Nepper caught your wrist.

"What are you doing?" he asked. You answered him with a glare.

"What are _you_ doing, idiot?" Then you pulled your arm free and ran across the field, where Rhionne was having a fierce battle over the ball. All the others were marked, but you weren't and Rhionne saw that too. She made a feint and gave you a centering. From the corner of your eye, you saw how Gazel got rid of his marks and dashed towards the ball as well. You looked in his eyes and nodded at the same time. From then on, the two of you moved in complete harmony.

Both of you jumped and spun around in the opposite direction. You kicked the ball to him and it was surrounded by bright, blazing flames. When he kicked it, the flames turned blue and the ball raced towards the goal. Right in the middle of this chaotic team, a new hissatsu technique was born. The keeper wasn't able to do anything against it and you and Gazel scored Chaos' first goal. Everyone was silent as they watched you two in awe.

The silence was broken, however, when you let out a giggle. "That. Was. Awesome!" The players from Prominence shot you confused glances, because you rarely laughed, but they were even more surprised when Gazel joined your laughing feat. If you rarely laughed, the chances of Gazel wearing a smile were nihil. And here he was, laughing with you.

You still chuckled softly when Gazel extended his hand to help you up. Much to your teammates surprise, you took it and allowed him to help you up.

"Okay, what the hell is up with you two?" Burn asked when you were on your feet again. Gazel put his arm around your shoulder and you put yours around his waist. You didn't have to negotiate with him to know what would happen next. There was no denying it, everyone saw how you acted around Gazel...

"You still can't tell?" Gazel asked and he snickered. "I knew you were slow, but to think that you were that slow..."

"No way," Rhionne breathed.

"But you are complete opposites!" Droll exclaimed.

"Well, opposites attract," you stated innocently and smiled when Gazel's arm around your shoulder tightened a bit.

"To think that you would willingly cooporate with a filthy Diamond Dust to that extend!" Nepper growled. "I never thought you would sink that low, Flame."

You were about to snap at him, when someone else beat you to it. It was Burn. "You idiot, that's what we are trying here the entire time. We need to merge these teams if we want to become the Genesis, therefore, we need to cooporate. I'm not glad either to find out that my teammate was cuddling with the enemy the entire time." He turned to you to shut you up with a glare, before he turned back to Nepper. You felt how Gazel lifted your chin and kissed you on the lips, while Burn continued his speech, not noticing you. "But that's done. And right now, I need you to get along with Diamond Dust, just like Flame got along with Gazel."

There was a silence for a few seconds before Burn suddenly shouted: "No! I don't mean getting along with them in that way, you idiot!" It was loud enough for you to pull away and face your teammates again. You saw how Burn chased Nepper while both boys were blushing furiously.

You chuckled softly and watched the scene with all the others. "Will we really be okay?" you whispered to Gazel. "We're a team that's full of opposites."

"Ah well," he started casually. "Opposites attract, don't they?" And then he captured your lips again.

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><p><strong>Me: There, finished! Finally! Sorry for the random ending, minna, but I had a little writers block for this. Also, the story line is a bit different from usual because I wanted to be original for a change. Please leave a review when you have the time.<strong>

**Also *bows* I'm sorry for neglecting this story. I have a lot on my mind, recently. Bye!**

**Oh yeah, before I go... Maybe you noticed that Tenma's chapter is gone. I deleted it, because I didn't like it anymore. It was too long, too messy and didn't have a very good plotline, so I got rid of it. I hope you don't mind it *bows again***


	13. Namikawa Rensuke

**Me: So, today I did this thing with my friend, it's called geocaching. And well, we found two caches and it's pretty fun and me being me, I was thinking: What if I brought it to the Inazuma Eleven GO universe? And that's how this story was born! ^^**

**Namikawa: And you chose me because...?**

**Me: Because you were requested.**

**Namikawa: ...**

**Me: By Hinano Kinsuke. And I felt this story needed a pirate ^^**

**Namikawa: ..._  
><em>**

**Me: ****I don't own Namikawa here, but if you want to... Be my guest (you only have to negotiate a little with Level 5 and Fifth Sector ;p)**

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><p><em><strong>Namikawa Rensuke ~ Treasure hunt<strong>_

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><p>"Ne, [ln]-chan!"

"What is it?" you asked as you turned to face your classmate. She twisted a lock of her platina blond hair around her perfectly manicured finger and smiled, thus showing you her perfectly white teeth. A small blue stone on one of her front teeth shimmered in the sunlight, which also enlightened her cosmetically tanned skin. Her bright blue eyes were surrounded by a thick layer of mascara, which made them look like fluttering butterflies every time she blinked.

You knew who she was - of course you knew her, there was no one in this class who didn't know her. She was Kumi Akiko, the most popular girl in Kaiou Gakuen. But that didn't bother you so much. What did bother you was why she was talking to you. It was not like Kumi was an arrogant child who didn't want to talk with anyone that she dubbed 'unfit' for her, but you were her complete opposite. You got along with her, but you weren't friends or anything.

She was tall and you were the shortest girl in your class. Her hair fell down in perfect curls from the moment she woke up (or so you guessed), while you needed at least ten minutes to get all the knots out of your hair before you tied it up in a sloppy pony tail. Her face was always covered with a thick layer of make-up of any kind, while you didn't care about that at all. In fact, you only wore make up when you went to a party or something, and still, you would use only a little.

You didn't really care all that much about your appearance, to be honest. Sure, you wanted to look decent, but you didn't go through hours of preparing before you went to school. You could make better use of that time, like using it for studies. Or for your new hobby.

Kumi fluttered with her eye lashes, which once again reminded you of butterflies. "Well, we wanted to go and see that new movie tomorrow and we were wondering if you would like to come along?"

"Why?"

"Eh? [l/n]-chan, doesn't that sound fun?" Flutter, flutter.

"Of course it does, but... Well, we aren't really close or anything, so I was wondering why you ask me."

"Oh that," she laughed and her melodic voice was heard through the entire classroom. "Well, we're going with the whole class, so of course I ask you." Flutter, flutter.

"I'm sorry, but I already made plans."

Eye lashes fluttered in bewilderment. "Eh? Already? So, you won't join us?"

"That's right."

She pouted and kind of looked like a little child that didn't get it her way. After a second thought, you realized that that pretty much described Kumi Akiko in general. She wasn't the smartest one around, but she was very popular due to her father's wealth and her good looks."Mou, what can be so important that you want to miss a fun hang-out with us?"

"Oh, it's nothing big. It's my new hobby, geocaching."

"Geowhatting?"

You sighed. Her high-pitched, indignant voice annoyed you. "Geocaching. People hide caches somewhere and activate them on a site. Then other people can follow the hints and find the cache as well. They write their names down on a paper and then hide the cache again, so other people can find it. It's really fun to do," you added when you saw her doubted look.

"So, it's some sort of treasure hunt?" she asked and you wanted to hit her for her stupidity. But you didn't. Instead, you smiled and nodded.

"Yes, it's some sort of treasure hunt." You tried your best to make it not sound too sarcastically, but you didn't know if you accomplished that task. Kumi didn't seem to notice, though.

"Sounds pretty fun," a low voice said from behind. When you turned around, you saw Namikawa Rensuke. He was in your class and he was also pretty popular, since he was known as Kaiou's bad boy. There were rumors that he and Kumi would be a perfect couple, but you didn't want to listen to that. The first reason for that was that you thought it was bad to gossip about other people.

The second reason was that it hurt to hear those whispers, because Namikawa was your crush. But since he and Kumi seemed to be perfect for each other - both really tall, both really good-looking, both really popular - you decided to suppress your feelings for him. It was hard, but not as hard as being rejected when you ever mustered the courage to confess to him. _It's okay__,_ you always told yourself, _one day, I'll find the one that's made for me._

Namikawa's appearance had different effects on you and Kumi. You mustered a shy smile and as his eyes locked with yours, you adverted them after a second or two. Kumi on the other hand, tossed her hair behind her ears with a movement that she, no doubt, practiced a lot in front of the mirror at home. Her white teeth and the blue stone on one of them flickered again in the sunlight as she flashed Namikawa one of her cute and flirtatious smiles.

"Rensuke-kun," she squealed happily. Once again, she reminded you of a little child. "Oh, I almost forgot! Do you wanna come as well tomorrow? It'll be fun~!"

"Hmm, no thanks."

"Eh? But you'll be missing so much! We can sit next to each other in the cinema! And we can share a popcorn if you want?" Kumi was fluttering so much with her eye lashes that you were afraid they would fall off and fly away.

"I said no thanks, Kumi. I told you already, didn't I? You're not my type of girl. I want someone who can handle a few things, instead of a beautiful porcelain doll like you." He walked away, but then he recalled something. He turned around again and flashed you a cheeky smirk. "Good luck with your caches, [l/n]-kun."

The fact that he spoke directly to you and the little twinkle in his eyes were enough to send blood towards your cheeks. Blushing slightly, you responded. "A-ah. Thank you, Namikawa-kun." When he was gone, you turned towards Kumi. Being rejected like that... It must hurt. "Are you okay, Kumi-san?"

"I'm more than okay, [l/n]-chan!" she sighed happily. You wondered how on earth someone could be happy after being turned down like that, but you got your answer soon enough. "He called me beautiful, did you hear that?"

"Uhm, yeah, but... He also turned you down, didn't he?"

"Oh that." She winked. "Don't worry, he is only playing hard to get."

"O-oh." What else could you say? Kumi knew a lot more about boys than you. "Well, anyway, have fun tomorrow!" you said and you walked out of the classroom, desperately trying to ignore the aching of your heart.

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><p>The next day, after lunch, you packed a little backpack and took your bike out of the shed. In your backpack were only the functional stuff, like a water bottle, a few snacks, a pen and a little first aid kit. It wasn't dangerous to look for caches, but accidents could happen, right?<p>

You already found all the activated caches in Inazuma Town, so you needed to go to other places to find new caches. The descriptions were often vague and cryptic, but you managed to find three caches in two hours time. After you wrote down your name and the date and time that you found it, you were sure to place it back in the exact same spot where you found it. After all, you didn't want to make it any harder or easier for the next people.

When you thought about it, geocaching was a strange game. You gained nothing from it when you found a cache, you just wrote your name down and placed it back for the next players. It was a never-ending game.

Just as you were cycling back to Inazuma Town, your phone buzzed and you saw that someone had activated a new cache. Coincidentally, it was in the forest that laid on the left side of Inazuma Town. Your heart thumped a little bit faster as you looked at the screen. Up until now, you had never been the first one to discover a cache. You found them, but often with use of the tips that others gave you.

The thought of being the first one to find a cache sent a thrill of excitement through your body and you cycled to the forest. The name of the cache was 'Treasure Hunt' and the description that was given was cryptic but creative:

_Arrr. If you wish to find my treasure, mate, prepare for a long journey through this forest. Go to the oak that faced Zeus' wrath and look for the X_

_The Captain_

You giggled slightly as you read it. The person who hid it must have a thing for pirates. Then you frowned. 'The oak that faced Zeus' wrath'? What was that? You closed your eyes and focussed on what you knew and understood. Zeus was a Greek god, wasn't he? Yes, you remembered that your History teacher once told you about Greek mythology. Zeus was the god of the sky and the thunder. Wait, thunder? Could 'Zeus' wrath' refer to something that was struck by lightning? You knew that there was a tree in this forest that struck by lightning a few months ago. And that was an oak, just like the clue mentioned!

That had to be it. You were excited, this was going well! You locked your bicycle and made your way through the forest. As soon as you found the mentioned tree, you looked around for the X, which you found almost immediately. It was carved into one of the roots of the tree. So... you had to dig?

You didn't bring any tools with you, but you didn't really mind it. The ground was soft and moist here, so it wouldn't be such a hard task to dig the cache up. After a few minutes, you found a little casket, around the size of your palm. When you opened it, you expected to find an empty list to fill in your data, but instead...

"What's this?"

Instead of the list, you saw a compass and a map. Did that mean that there was more? But that wasn't how geocache worked! You just had to find the cache with the coordinates and hints on the site. Unsure, you got back to your feet, wondering if you should turn around and go home or continue with the treasure hunt. You eventually chose for the last option and unfolded the map.

* * *

><p>You paused for a bit and opened your backpack to eat and drink a little. This little game had turned into a real treasure hunt which already lasted for more than an hour. The hints and clues you found always led you to another, even more cryptic hint. But it was fun, you had to admit. The blazing sun burned on your bare arms and the mosquitos attacked every inch of bare skin you showed, but it was fun to be out in the nature today. You preferred this over sitting in a dark room and staring at a movie on a big screen.<p>

The map had told you to head to the north-east, so you took the compass and determined what direction you should take. Instead of walking and checking the compass at the same time, you chose a landmark and walked over to it, after which you repeated the action.

The map eventually led you to an abandoned burrow, where you found the next hint. That one had told you to climb a particular tree and look out for something. Sure thing, when you did as told, you saw how a few landmarks formed an X. "Amazing," you breathed in awe. To think that someone really went this far for a little game!

You climbed back down and went to the new location, but took a break once you got there. It was important to stay properly hydrated on a hot day like this. So after you were refreshed, you went to look for the X. When you found it, however, you weren't as happy as before.

"Are you kidding me? Poison ivy?"

An X was carved into an old tree, which was surrounded by a lot of poison ivy. Since you wore short trousers, you would surely get stung by them. That is, if you continued this thing. It had been going on for quite a while now, wasn't it time to give up? As your pride and your conscious argued inside your mind, your phone buzzed, signalling that you had a new message. When you looked at it, you didn't recognise the number. When you opened it, your heart missed a beat.

_Yes, poison ivy. You're not abandoning your captain now, are you?_

What... How... Who... How did that person know? Was there someone else here beside you? You frantically looked around, but you saw no living soul. Still, that message... With trembling fingers, you replied to it.

_Who are you?_

The reply came almost instantly, as if that person had been waiting for her to ask that.

_I am the Captain._

The Captain... So he was the one that hid the cache? A shiver ran down your spine and another message came in.

_Do you know what happens to sailors who disobey their captain, [l/n] [f/n]?_

Okay, now you were really scared. This... This person knew who you were - and probably more things about you - and was threatening you to clear this game... What would await you in the end? Had this innocent game changed into a cat-and-mouse game with a madman? How would you get out of this?

For now, it seemed for the best if you did what he wanted you to do. Gulping, you walked between the stinging nettles and clenched your teeth to endure the stings. In a hole in the old tree, you found an envelope with a little poem inside. It told you, in cryptic words, to follow a nearby brook upstream until you found another X. That was where you had to dig to find 'the Captain's treasure'.

You gulped at those words. Did 'the Captain's treasure' mean that you cleared that game? Then... what would happen? What would 'the Captain' do once you cleared it? You followed the brook and dug at the place with the X, your heart racing in your throat. Your fingers soon reached a hard object: a little treasury. After casting one final look around, you pulled it out of the hole.

And when a shapeless net fell over you...

"Damn it!"

... you really wished you hadn't done that.

Struggling against the tough ropes of the net, you tried to break free. But it closed and there was no way you could get out by yourself. Your hands and feet got stuck in the loopholes as your struggle became more desperate. You were really scared now, since you were now officially trapped. How stupid were you, huh? You should have quit right after you received the first text message, regardless of the consequences. You could've alerted the police to protect you against this creep, but now...

"So, I see that you were too hasty in obtaining the captain's treasure, huh?" When you heard his voice, you thought you could cry. It was a voice you would recognize out of thousands. "Tsk, tsk, I'm disappointed in you, [l/n]."

"Na-Namikawa?!" Yes, it was Namikawa Rensuke. Instead of his school uniform, he wore a white jacket and dark blue sweatpants. His hands were in his pockets and he casually leaned against a tree. All in all, he seemed to have no intentions to release you from your wiry prison. "Are you... Are you the Captain?" you asked and his smirk broadened.

"I sure am, mate. I see you wanted to steal my treasure, huh? Well, I can't let you get away with that without punishing you."

You gulped at his words. A joke was funny, but this... This sounded awefully real. As he approached you with slow and confident steps, you actually started to crawl backwards. The net hindered you greatly, though, and you didn't get far before Namikawa reached you. By grabbing one of the ropes, he prevented you from getting away. He sat down with one knee on each side of your leg and you blushed furiously at his actions.

"Wh-what are you d-doing?" you stuttered.

"I'm judging the catch of the day," he stated casually, as if he was talking about the fishing instead of about you. Along with his words, he sent you a suggestive look which made you feel quite uncomfortable. You nearly squealed when he suddenly caught your wrists and leaned in. When he was close to your ear, he whispered: "I'm still looking for a navigator to join me on my journey over the seven seas... Are you interested?"

"What?" You really couldn't follow this guy right now. He was completely absorbed in his role and you had to admit, he was really good at playing the stern and sexy pirate captain. He pulled back, but didn't let go of your wrists yet. So he was now hovering on top of you as you were laying on your back, still trapped in the net.

"Your navigating was pretty impressive," he complimented.

"That's not... Anyone could do that," you said while looking away from him.

"Kumi couldn't." A little piece of your heart dried out and fell off. You could hear it break and for a moment, you were afraid that Namikawa heard it too. "No, she wouldn't be able to do it," he continued. "She would only stare at it, wondering why that mirror doesn't show her face."

"Why do you bring her up so suddenly?" you asked, barely able to mask the pain out of your voice. He stared at you before his features softened. Especially his eyes became softer and more caring. You drowned in them as he leaned closer to you. It didn't take long before his soft lips touched yours. The ropes of the net were pressed against your body and didn't allow you to move. But even if you could've moved, you didn't want to. You wanted to stay like this forever. You on the ground with him hovering over you and your lips locked together.

Yes, it would've been nice if this moment could last forever.

When he pulled away, you kept on staring in his eyes. "Because," he said, answering the question that you already forgot you had asked, "I want you to know that I have nothing with her. I don't like her, I certainly don't love her... I love you." The last part was merely a whisper, but that didn't make it less true.

"I... I love you too," you replied and your lips formed a smile. He smiled back as he planted a soft peck on your lips.

"Well, what'cha think about it, mate?" he asked, getting back to his former role of the pirate captain. "Can I call ya my new navigator or what?"

"Of course you can," you laughed. "Just get me out of this net and I'm ready to sail with you."

Then he flashed you a grin that you could only describe as cheeky. No wait, that wasn't the only description. Another, more accurate description would be... pervy.

"In that case," he whispered huskily as he came closer once again, "I think I keep you as my prisoner for a little longer. To my prisoners, I can do whatever I want, after all."

You smiled and managed to say one more thing because he closed the gap between your lips again.

"Aye aye, Captain."

* * *

><p><strong>Me: How Namikawa got your phone number? How that trap works? We will never know ^^ By the way, should I have warned you for his pervyness in the end? Nah...<strong>

**Anyways, I might not update for a few days because tomorrow's my birthday and I have family things... Actually, my birthday is today because it's already past midnight here :D So I'm seventeen now! (I'm so old /.\)**

**Ahem, sorry about that. Please tell me what you thought about this and I really hoped you liked it! One thing for sure, I liked to write it ^^!**


	14. Gouenji Shuuya

**Me: Long ago, at a time when dinosaurs still walked this earth, Alja-chan requested a grown Gouenji Shuuya x Reader... Okay, maybe it wasn't that long ago, but it sure was quite a while. And now, I decided to try and write it. Alja-chan (and all the other readers out there), I hope you enjoy this!**

**Gouenji: Inazuma Eleven (GO/Chrono Stone/Galaxy) (c) Level 5. You (c) you. Oh yeah, I might be slightly (read: extremely) OOC, but please bear with me *bows***

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><p><em><strong>Gouenji Shuuya ~ Player<strong>_

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><p>You sat behind your desk, like you did the entire day at your work. You worked at the Japan Youth Soccer Association, where you did all the paperwork that came with a national soccer tournament. Before, when Fifth Sector still existed, this facility would also have been used to administrate the matches' outcomes. Luckily, youths were now able to play real matches, instead of the ones with their scores set.<p>

Fifth Sector's leader, previously known as the Holy Emperor Ishido Shuuji, was now the director of the Japan Youth Soccer Association. In other words, he was now your boss. And you didn't like it.

Not. At. All.

Why?

Well, Ishido Shuuji, also known as Gouenji Shuuya, was in your class when you went to Raimon Jr. High. Back then, he was quite popular with the girls. So popular, that some girls practically waited for him outside the classroom, just so they could get a glimpse from him. Your best friend had also kept a few feelings for him in her heart, but she was way too shy to confess to him.

And that's why you had helped her. You convinced her to tell him how she felt and it seemed to work out. At least, when you walked past them a few minutes later, they were engrossed in a fierce make-out session. Feeling content now that your best friend's crush loved her back, you had headed home. But the next day, you saw him kissing someone else. When you found your friend a few minutes later, she had been heartbroken. She told you that she felt so happy the day before, when he seemed to return her feelings, but it turned out that he was just a player.

Actually, when you started to pay a little more attention to him and his 'relationships', you realized how correct that perception was. Gouenji had a lot of 'lady-friends' and was often seen with one of them in a deserted corner of the school. You were certain that when you looked up the word 'player' in the dictionary, there would be a picture of Gouenji Shuuya. When it turned out that there wasn't such picture, you made the effort to glue one in every school dictionary you could find, even if you got detention for it.

You loathed him for playing with the hearts of so many girls. Yet here you were, working as his secretary and thus being the woman that was the closest to him. It's funny how life goes, isn't it?

As you finished checking the application forms for the upcoming Holy Road Tournament and laid the paper on a neat stack on your desk, a dull ache in your lower stomach penetrated you. You groaned as you pressed your hand against your abdomen. Yes, it was that time of the month again. You envied your friends, who never seemed to have any problems at all. You on the other hand, always suffered from head and stomach aches once a month. It was really annoying.

Bending over to the briefcase at your feet, you rummaged through it to find some painkillers. When you finally found them, along with a bottle of water that you always kept in your bag, you sat upright, only to nearly drop them at the sight in front of you. Namely, Gouenji had come out of his office and was now casually sitting on top of your desk. His piercing black eyes, which had allured many girls and women before you, shifted from the application forms to your tensed up figure. He sent you a relaxed half-smile that was, though you hated to admit it, breathtaking. His long platinablond hair was tied in a low ponytail, which looked pale when compared to his tanned skin.

"Ah, [l/n]," he said in his low voice. He smiled and showed off his perfectly white teeth. "You're back."

You scowled at him as you placed the painkillers and the water in front of you. "Back? I was here the entire time." That's right, unlike some other employees of the Japan Youth Soccer Association, you actually stayed at your desk except for when you took a break.

Gouenji bent forward, that breathtaking half-smile still on his lips. You bent back as far as your desk chair allowed you. Even after all these years, you still didn't like the player that was now your boss and you tried to create as much space between you as possible. "Now, now," Gouenji said, "don't make this worse than it has to be."

His tone had a teasing edge on it and many women would have gotten weak knees when they heard it. But not you. This wasn't the first time he tried something with you, as if seeing how quick you would surrender to his charms. The thought that he still hadn't abandoned his unforgivable behaviour made you nauseous. You once vowed to yourself that you wouldn't fall for him, even if he was the last man alive. Gouenji, for some reason, always seemed interested in you and often used his charms when he talked to you. The only thing that kept you from giving in, was the thought of the next morning. When he would be gone, and you would be alone...

Your scowl deepened as you answered his accusation. "I don't, I didn't leave my place."

He leaned back, closing his eyes as he turned away from you. "If you say so." Although his words seemed like he believed you, his tone implied the opposite. Anger boiled inside of you. How dare he accuse you like that? A little voice told you that you just had to let him be, but your pride didn't allow that.

"Wait a minute!" you called at his back and when he turned around, an amused expression decorated his face. He had you exactly where he wanted, but you didn't care. "Don't use that tone on me," you said carefully. You were known for your quick-tempered behaviour and you didn't want to get scolded for insulting your boss. "I tell you I was here the whole time, why don't you believe me when I say that?" The last part came out more like a whine than you intended it.

"You know, [l/n]?" Gouenji asked, ignoring your question. "In the Middle Ages, when two parties had different beliefs, they chose a representative who would fight to the death. The winning party was the one that the people would believe in."

You raised an eyebrow at him. "You want me to fight you to the death?"

He chuckled. "I think that's a little outdated and overboard, so why don't we solve it with a more modern battle?" You shrugged and followed him inside his office. He closed the door behind you and you blinked when you saw the 'battlefield' he had prepared. You turned around and raised an eyebrow at him, more amused than irritated now.

"Really? Chess?"

.

"Checkmate."

You stared with wide open eyes at the white queen, which had trapped your black king in the corner of the board. Like he said, there was no way to get out of there. It was checkmate, and you had lost this game. _Damn it._

You didn't show your frustration on the outside and leaned back, seemingly relaxed. "Alright, what do you want, Gouenji-san?" The rules of the battle were simple: the winner would be right. If you won, Gouenji would do something for you to apologize for falsely accusing you. If Gouenji won, you had to do something for him to apologize for 'leaving without permission' (which you hadn't done, damn it!). Though you might seem cool on the outside, your heart was throbbing a little faster than usual. You just hoped he wouldn't ask anything perverted from you.

He grinned confidently at you and paused a few seconds before he uttered his request, no doubt for the drama. "I want you to go out with me."

Well, you hadn't expected that. Shouldn't you have, though? He had been trying you out for quite some time now, and this was the perfect way to get on a date with you, since you weren't allowed to refuse. "Why?"

"Because I know you for quite some time, and yet I don't know you. I first met you in school, but I still know nothing about you. I want to get to know you better." His reply sounded genuine, but you figured he could just be a really good actor.

"Okay," you said indifferently.

"Great," he smiled. "I'll pick you up, tomorrow evening at six." Then he left through the door and you were alone in his office. The situation slowly but surely got through to you.

You would go on a date tomorrow. With the man you loathed. _Damn._

* * *

><p>The date wasn't really spectacular. He took you to a nice restaurant, where the two of you had dinner. He talked about himself and asked you questions, that you answered briefly. They might call you paranoia, but you figured that if you let your guard down for even one second, his perverted player-attitude might show up again. So you stayed reserved, though you tried to be polite.<p>

After dinner, he walked you home like a true gentleman. If you hadn't known any better, you would have fallen for him right away. You denied it, even to yourself, but you felt a little tingle in your stomach every time he looked or smiled at you.

Just as you reached your front door, you saw a flash of light. It was almost immediately followed by a loud thunder, which told you that the thunderstorm was close by. For a few seconds, your [e/c] eyes locked with Gouenji's black ones. Then the downpour started.

It came suddenly, without warning - unless you count the thunder and lightning as warning of course - and both of you were drenched within seconds. Cursing underneath your breath, you pulled out your keys and unlocked the door. As soon as both of you were inside, silence hung in the air, which was eventually broken by Gouenji's laughter. "Well, that was unexpected," he chuckled and you laughed along.

But then it hit you. Outside was a storm going on. And he was here. With you. Alone.

As much as you wanted to, you knew you couldn't send him out in this weather, so you saw no other option than to let him stay until the storm passed. You hoped with all your might that it would pass soon, but all your hopes were crushed as soon as you looked up the weather forecast. The storm wouldn't be over until the next morning, which meant you had to let him stay here. Which meant that the two of you would be alone all night.

Well, you slept in your bed while he would sleep on the couch, of course, but still. The mere knowledge that the two of you would be alone might trigger the player inside him. You shook your head vigorously to clear those thoughts away. _I'm a strong woman,_ you told yourself. _If he does anything unwanted to me, I'll call the police._

* * *

><p>You and Gouenji were watching a film on TV, since it was only half past nine in the evening. Apparently, Gouenji had some trouble adjusting to the idea of sleeping on the couch. "It just doesn't seem very comfortable to me," he murmured while his eyes followed whatever happened on the screen. You didn't know what the film was about, since you were too tensed. You constantly kept an eye on the man next to you, convinced that he would do something when you let your guard down.<p>

Now you turned towards him, an eyebrow raised. "Sleeping on my couch is a privilege, you know? There's an empty box in the garage, if you like that better."

Gouenji merely chuckled and leaned back, his black orbs shifting to you. The film was forgotten. "Now now, aren't you a bit harsh on me?"

You were about to reply that he had been harsh on lots of girls, making them fall for him and then leaving them whenever someone else passed by, but the words hitched in your throat when he snaked his arm around your waist. He did it casually, like it wasn't a big deal, but to you, it was a great deal! You tensed up under his touch and glared in his direction. You willed your voice to be steady when you said: "Get your filthy hands off me."

"First of all, my hands are not filthy, I washed them," he said with a joking tone. "Second, are you always this tense?" His free hand traveled to your neck and you let out a tiny gasp when he carefully massaged the tensed muscles in your neck and shoulders. _What is this? He is touching me and I just sit here! What am I doing? But it... It feels good, actually._

You didn't answer his question and turned your attention back to the screen. It seemed like the film had ended, so you reached for the remote and switched the device off. The dull ache in your stomach was back, so you reached for the bag at your feet. If you were correct, there were still a few painkillers in it. Gouenji's hand slipped from your neck, but before you could get out of his reach and take the pills, he grabbed your shoulder and pulled you back.

"What are you doing?" You tried to make your voice sound icily, but it sounded a tiny bit like a shriek.

"Too many painkillers is bad for your health, didn't you know that?" Gouenji said calmly as he leaned closer until your back was against his torso. Your mind willed your arm to lunge backwards and elbow him in the stomach, but you didn't. Why didn't you?

"So what?"

"They won't work if you use them too often," Gouenji said and much to your dismay, his hand slipped _under_ your T-shirt. You felt his warm palm radiating on the skin of your stomach, on the exact area that hurt._  
><em>

Your breath staggered. "I'm calling the police." His other hand started to massage your shoulder and he briefly pressed his lips against your hair as he chuckled.

"Isn't that a little overboard?"

"Last time I checked, it was illegal to have unwanted body contact."

"Is this really unwanted, then?" Gouenji inquired as his hand massaged your tummy. You had to admit, it _did_ make the pain go away. Gouenji took your lack of response as a 'no' and continued his massage. At some point, he slowly pulled you down, so you were now laying with your head on his lap. You tried not to think about the humiliating fact that you were indeed falling for him. A voice in your mind tried to call you back to reality. It tried to remind you about all the broken hearts he caused, but you just didn't want to believe that anymore. Right now, you just wanted to lay down and rest, with him watching over you._  
><em>

When you finally relaxed a bit, the hand on your shoulder went to your [h/c] locks, gently stroking them. "I knew you had a soft side, [f/n]," Gouenji said softly when you were already halfway on your way to dreamland.

"Gouenji," you murmured sleepily, though you didn't know exactly what you wanted to tell him.

"Shh," he told you. "If you are going to call me by my name, you might as well use my first name." When you kept quiet, he bent over to you and whispered while smirking: "Come on, you know you want to."

Blushing furiously, you stuttered: "Sh-Shuuya?"

"Good girl," he commented as he sat straight again and patted your head. "You have no idea for how long I wanted you to call me that. Around you, I get a feeling that I get with no one else... I tried to get close to you ever since I saw you in junior high, but you always pushed me away. Why exactly did you do that, [f/n]?" His voice wasn't accusative, just neutral.

"You are a player," you said sleepily, but still wary of his reactions. His hand jerked a bit before he continued to stroke your hair. "I always saw you making out with another girl, and I have no intentions to fall for a guy who only wants to break my heart after he's done playing."

"I see. But I don't want to break your heart, [f/n]." The snort you gave him must have told him how you felt about that, because he continued. "Really, I don't. I always wanted to be around you, I just..." You looked up at him and saw how he shook his head, his ponytail swaying from left to right.

"You what?"

"I think I have to blame it on the hormones. I was young and stupid, I'll admit that, but now I know better. It was wrong to think so lightly about those girls, but I can honestly say that I never thought lightly about you. I-I... I love you."

Well, you certainly didn't expect a confession like that. But despite his shocking declaration of love for you, you were too sleepy to go through your feelings to see what you felt for him. Right now, you just wanted to sleep with him by your side.

"Just don't leave, okay?" you murmured before your eyes closed permanently. You heard and felt Gouenji chuckle and then he pressed his lips against your temple.

"I promise."

* * *

><p>You woke up the next morning from the sunlight on your face. You hadn't closed the curtains last night, so the light had free reign. You stretched yourself like a cat before you opened your eyes. You laid on the couch in your living room, but... Your hand reached behind you to confirm your shocking suspicions. You touched nothing but air.<p>

Tears welled up in you eyes, but you forcefully pushed them back. _I can't believe it,_ you thought angrily. _Even after he said all those things about loving me, even after he promised to stay, he left._ You greatly hated him for playing with your feelings, but you hated yourself even more for falling for his tricks. You knew what he was capable of, so why on earth had you believed him?

You couldn't show your face at work anymore, not after what he had done to you! You would have to face him every single day again, and you knew that you couldn't handle that. So, you should look for a new job? You shook your head and got up. First you needed a cup of coffee, then you could think about what you should do next.

You entered the kitchen while rubbing the sleep from your eyes, but then you froze at what your saw. The thoughts of revenge, humiliation and new jobs were gone in an instant.

"Good morning. I hope you like scrambled eggs?"

And then you entered a laughing fit, because seeing Gouenji Shuuya, wearing a pink apron and trying to make scrambled eggs with bacon, was just really funny.

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><p><strong>Me: You didn't even kiss... YOU DIDN'T EVEN KISS! O.o Ahem, sorry.<strong>

**Gouenji: Review please?**


	15. Matsukaze Tenma

**Me: Double update? OoO *gasp* Jupp! ^^ I felt kinda bad for neglecting this so long, so I wrote this one despite all my homework (logic! (not)). And who is the (un)lucky fellow? It's TENMA!**

**Tenma: Huh, again?**

**Me: I deleted your first one, so I figured I could do you again!^^**

**Tenma: Okay, sounds like fun! Att-chan doesn't own Inazuma Eleven!**

**Me: Sorry that I don't take much requests for this story lately... I really do appreciate them, but I'm just making up stories and then I choose a fitting character. I'd love to if you keep asking for people, but I don't promise that I'll actually do them! **

**Tenma: Have fun while reading!**

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><p><em><strong>Matsukaze Tenma ~ I see you<strong>_

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><p>Memories are illusions.<p>

That was your truth. You had very little non-blurry memories, since you had an accident when you were six and that caused you to lose your sight. You weren't completely blind, for you could still make out a few coloured blurs, but you couldn't see details anymore. Everything that was further than two feet from your face often disappeared in the blend of background colours and even up close, you couldn't distinguish any details.

People often told you what a pity it was, since they knew you as 'such an energetic girl' when you were younger. And it was true; according to your parents and your older brother, you had troubles with sitting still at the time. Your brother, [l/n] Akoro, who is five years older than you, had often taken you to his secret spot. He had been in his first year of junior high and attended Raimon, a school that was famous for its soccer. Akoro loved to play soccer and he wanted to join the team, but he wasn't very good, so he practiced at his secret spot. It was a clearing in the woods, as large as a soccer field, where he perfected his dribbling skills, his shoots and his hissatsu techniques.

You were the only person he had ever taken to that place. He never showed it to any friends and not even your parents knew exactly where you were when the two of you went to 'play in the woods'. You loved it there, for there was a certain harmony at that place. The trees that surrounded the field were big and steady and their leaves whispered songs in the wind. There had been lots of flowers when you last saw it, making the air heavy with their sweet scents.

You remembered how you had helped Akoro as much as you could, thus learning to love soccer as well. It was such a beautiful sport and it had brought you tons of joy for as long as you played it. Ironically, it had also caused you your greatest loss: the loss of your sight. But you didn't want to think about that yet. For now, you just wanted to relive those faint memories you still had of that time.

But that's when the circle was round again and we get back to the beginning: memories are illusions. You remembered how you and Akoro played until it got dark, how you laughed when one passed the other and how you rested with your back against the tree when you got tired. You remembered the clearing and the trees that surrounded it. You remembered the bees buzzing and the sun shining, and if you tried really hard, you even remembered what the sunlight looked like when it shone through all the leaves above your head.

The only question was, which of those memories were true and which had you unconsciously made up?

It's said that people only remember thirty percent of what they see. Of course, you had seen that clearing many times, but you never really looked at it. Another thing they say is that you only know what you have when you lose it, and that is also true. You always found the clearing pretty, but you hadn't realized how beautiful it was until you couldn't see it anymore.

That stupid accident, why did it have to happen? As said before, you really loved to play soccer back then. When Akoro made it to the team, the two of you practiced less and less at the clearing, but that didn't really bother you. You didn't know how to get there yourself, so when you were done with school and Akoro had soccer practice, you often went to the riverbank to play on your own. You stayed there until the sun set, before you hurried back home for dinner before your mother would scold you.

That fateful day, you ran towards your home with the soccer ball under your arm. You were panting, already exhausted from your intense practice, but you kept on running at top speed. You had completely lost track of time and dinner started in a few minutes! You ran on the pavement and soon reached the staircase that led to your street. Your street was at a lower level than the main road, ust like the riverbank, and you went down the stairs by two steps at a time. You didn't remember whether you tripped or slipped, but when you were halfway, you suddenly fell. Your head hit the sharp edge of a step twice before you landed on the ground, unconscious.

When you woke up, you had been in a hospital and found that, no matter how many times you blinked, the blurs wouldn't leave your vision. The doctors told you that it might disappear in time, but you lost hope for that. After all, it had been seven years since then and nothing had changed. About your vision, that is. About everything else in your life did change in these seven years.

First of all, you couldn't play soccer in a team anymore, like you had always dreamed. It was no use when you couldn't see the ball at your feet, or any teammates to pass it to. You still tried to train yourself, but it was hard, since you had to base your plays on what you heard and felt.

The second, and more important thing that changed, was Akoro. Your older brother was devastated when he heard you couldn't play anymore. He blamed himself for some reason, though you insisted the opposite. How could he be the one at fault? He hadn't even been with you at the time of the accident! But Akoro wouldn't be Akoro if he hadn't felt responsible, and despite your protests, he quit soccer.

You had cried, screamed, yelled and pleaded, but he had quit anyways. You had felt like you lost your brother along with your sight and your soccer, and all these feelings of loss had kept you shackled to the bed for a few months. Eventually, with help of your family, you got out of your little depression, but things had irreversibly changed about you. You still loved soccer, but the fact that you couldn't play it anymore gave the sport something sorrowful.

After you got over your great, irreplaceable loss, you received home-schooling. Your parents became over-protective of you after the accident and wanted to keep you close. Your teachers were nice and understanding and taught you a lot, like how to read things in Braille. Seven years you had learned how to adjust to your handicap and your hearing had gotten better, since you had to rely more on that. There were still a lot of things that you couldn't do on your own, but now, at the age of thirteen, you grew tired of your parents concerns. You knew they acted like that because they loved you, but it suffocated you.

That was why your parents had, after a lot of pleading from your side, agreed on registering you at Raimon. You hid the fact that you were almost completely blind as much as you could, though people eventually noticed. Unfortunately for you, they immediately treated you like a victim that couldn't handle anything herself, which was exactly what you _didn't_ want. But you couldn't deny that you needed some help with things, so you tried to ignore the pity as much as you could. After all, it had been tricky for a blind girl to enroll in a school that wasn't focussed on blind people, but you wanted to experience what Akoro had experienced when he went to this school. He always told you great stories about it, and you had dreamed of going here ever since.

With a sting in your heart, you thought about your brother. He had changed after your accident, sure, but he had done something shocking lately. He was now eighteen and a few months ago, he started working... with Fifth Sector! You wanted to cry every time you thought about how he worked with the people who wanted to destroy the sport that had brought both you and him so much happiness. He must have gotten a grudge against soccer after your accident.

_Maybe I should take a look at the team,_ you thought. It had been so long since you heard the sounds of children who happily played soccer with each other. Those sounds might bring back memories - real ones or illusions - and those memories might drive away your negative thoughts about Akoro.

You walked over to the field and sat down at the bottom step of the staircase. You probably gained a few weird stares from the players - that is, if they noticed you - but you didn't care about that. There were no soccer players in your class, so you didn't really know them and they didn't really know you. The instructions of the captain, the pants and yells of the running players and the sounds of a foot colliding with the ball calmed you down. Yes, it had been a good idea for you to come here.

After some time - you didn't really know how long - you felt how something came in contact with your leg. You reached out and your fingers touched a ball. You brushed over the different patches, visualizing their black or white colours in your head.

"Hey, can we get the ball back?" someone yelled. You automatically looked up at the boy, though you couldn't see him at all. All you saw was a big blend of green colours, with a few yellow specks in it. "Excuse me?" the boy called again and judging from the increasing volume, he came closer to you.

"Sorry," you said as you extended the ball in his direction.

"It's okay." Even without seeing it, you could hear his smile. You wish you could see it though, it must have looked really cheerful. "Do you want to play with us?"

"What?"

"Yeah, I saw you sitting here, so I thought maybe: she likes soccer too? And if she likes soccer, maybe she wants to join us? You can, if you want. I-I mean, I wouldn't mind. We should ask the others of course, but I don't think they're troubled by it and... just... I'm Matsukaze Tenma, by the way."

You giggled at his verbiage, since he didn't really give you a chance to formulate your answer. "No, it's okay," you said while shaking your head. "I don't want to play."

"Eh? Don't you like soccer then?"

"I love it, it's just that I can only play by myself."

"That's not true," Tenma stubbornly insisted. "I'm sure the others want to play with you too, if you just ask and-"

"It's not that simple. To me, soccer is something that I can only do by myself, without others around." You grew a little edgy, but you couldn't help yourself. Boy, this Matsukaze boy was stubborn! You told him that you couldn't play with him, didn't you? Then why did he keep on pestering you to play?

"Soccer will be sad that you say that," Tenma persisted. "Soccer is played by many people, right?"

"Yes, just not by me," you said, silently wishing that he would stop. It indeed brought back memories, but you just didn't want to think about that now. You were losing your patience with him and you'd rather not lash out at a boy you just met.

"Why not?" He sounded almost childish now, and that was when you finally snapped.

"Because I can't see the freaking ball, okay?!" you yelled in his face, before turning around with a huff and leaving the practice grounds without waiting for his reply.

.

Dinner was uncomfortable as usual. You didn't see him, but you knew that Akoro sat opposite you at the dinner table, silently munching his food. "So, did anything happen today?" he asked, trying to start a conversation with you. At first you didn't reply, because you hadn't talked to him since he joined Fifth Sector, but today you felt the sudden urge to tell him about the soccer club. Who knows, maybe he would remember the good times and get him away from those people?

"I visited the soccer club today," you said casually, squinting your eyes to try - in vain - to get a clearer picture of his facial expression.

"That's nice," Akoro said softly. "You should stay close to them, they might need you." _Where did that come from?_ you thought, but just as you were about to ask, he got up from his chair and took his plate to the dishwasher. "Thank you for the lovely dinner, mom and dad, but if you would excuse me now, I still have a little something I need to work on."

"That's fine, honey," your mother said, obviously smiling at him. You on the other hand, sent him a death glare. That 'little something' was probably something for Fifth Sector, so it couldn't be anything good!

You went to bed early that night, but your brothers words kept on haunting your thoughts. _"You should stay close to them, they might need you." _What did he mean by that? He sounded rather serious... _Hmm, maybe I should apologize tomorrow,_ you thought sleepily before you finally sank into your dream world.

* * *

><p>After school had finished, you walked towards the soccer field. If you were correct, the team would be having afternoon practice right now. You approached a few indignant voices and waited until they noticed you. Footsteps approached you hesitantly and you bowed and said: "I'm sorry for causing such a scene yesterday."<p>

"It's okay, we should have been more considerate, so we're sorry as well," a calm, mature voice said. He said 'we', though everyone knew exactly who he meant. "I'm Shindou Takuto, the captain of this team."

"[l/n] [f/n]," you replied.

"[l/n]-san?" Tenma's familiar voice hesitantly piped up. You turned your head in his direction and heard how he approached you. "I'm really sorry about asking you so much yesterday. I didn't realize it, a-and I..."

"It's okay," you smiled and extended your hand. "No hard feelings, okay?" He took your hand and shook it after a second. His palm felt warm and comfortable in yours, though his grip was firm and determined. One thing was sure: this boy wouldn't give up very soon. "So, why aren't you practicing right now?"

"Because of this," Shindou said and there was a sound of rustling papers.

"It seems like 'this' is paper, but I'm sure you're referring to what is written on it, right?" you asked with a straight face.

"Err, right. This is a letter from Fifth Sector, saying that the acidity of the soil underneath our practice grounds is too high. We are not allowed to practice here until the soil has recovered." Your heart tightened a bit when you heard that. Was this the 'little something' your brother had to do yesterday?

"Ah," an adult voice agreed. "It's a low trick to keep us from improving, but there's nothing we can do about it. We're not allowed to practice at the riverbank for similar reasons." You figured this was the voice of the team's coach, Endou Mamoru.

"Minna!" Everyone - including you, even though you couldn't see anything - turned their heads in the direction of the new voice. This voice was female, but it also seemed to belong to an adult. "There's a letter for the soccer club, but it's... it's..."

You figured she showed it to the members, because exclamations like 'What is this?' and 'Is it a code?' reached your ears. "Is something the matter?" you asked, hoping they might share the contents with you.

"It's a letter," Shindou explained calmly, "but we can't read it. It's just a collection of dots."

"Maybe we need to connect them?" someone asked.

"Wait, did you say dots? Could you give it to me?" You extended your hand and soon felt the papers in it. Your fingers traveled over the contents, and just like you expected, you felt the little dots. "It's Braille," you smiled as you brushed your fingers over the last line. You gasped.

'Regards, [l/n] Akoro' was what it said. You shook your head and started at the beginning, reading the letter out loud.

"Dear Raimon eleven and [f/n], since I suspect you're with them right now. First, I want to apologize for taking your practice grounds. I tried everything I could to stop it, but there was nothing I could do. [f/n], Raimon players, I need you to know that I am working undercover, and I tried to advert as many attacks as I could. Unfortunately, I couldn't stop this.  
>However, there is something else I can do for you. Years ago, [fn] and I played soccer at our secret spot. Now I want you to use it to get better and win the Holy Road Tournament. I enclosed directions with this letter, but I wrote everything in Braille so if this letter gets intercepted, no one else will understand it. [f/n] can guide you there.  
>Good luck with your next match, I'll be (silently) cheering for you."<p>

Your voice trailed away as you processed what was written in the letter. Akoro was working undercover all this time? Was that why he told you to stay close to the team? Your first reaction was relief, since he hadn't betrayed soccer! Then you felt a little angry, because he had left you out on this. But the main thing you felt, was joy. Joy, because you would go to that beautiful place again.

"[l/n]-san?" Tenma asked, breaking the silence. You flashed him and the others a big smile.

"Let's go."

.

The journey through the woods was fun, though it was a bit weird too. You were the only one who understood the directions, so everyone was following a practically blind girl through the woods. But you needed them too, because Akoro's letter contained many landmarks that you couldn't see. It was kind of like a treasure hunt, and just as fun.

After a while, you felt something familiar. You weren't sure whether it was the whispering of the leaves, the way the sun tickled your skin or the smell of flowers that made the air heavy, but you knew you were almost there. Ignoring the others, you walked in a particular direction with your cane in hand, making sure you wouldn't trip over roots or anything.

You knew you had reached the clearing when you heard numerous gasps behind you. You turned around and with a big smile, you said: "What are you standing here for? Hurry up and practice!

* * *

><p>That night, you slept really well, though not very long. You had stayed with the Raimon team for the whole afternoon, 'watching' over their practice. You had asked them to let you sit under an apple tree. It was the same tree where you had sat after you finished practicing with Akoro. You enjoyed the sun on your face, though you couldn't help but feel sad.<p>

The smells and sounds of this place, added to the sounds of people who played soccer, brought back so many memories of what you had lost... You wished you could join them on the field, but you knew that that was impossible. You would only drag them down if you joined, since you couldn't properly pass or receive a ball. Sure, if it would have been one-on-one, maybe you could join, but soccer wasn't played by only two people. Sadly.

At around four A.M. in the morning - according to your talking alarm clock - you couldn't stand it anymore. You quietly got out of bed, changed into your casual clothes and descended the stairs with your shoes in hand. Today was Saturday, so you left a note for your parents (in Braille, because even though you still could write normally, it took a lot of focus and wasn't always readable), saying that you went out and would be back at noon. After eating two slices of bread, you went to the garage and quietly rummaged through all the junk until you found what you were looking for. Your old soccer ball. It was a bit deflated, so you pumped it up and then went outside.

You had memorized the way through the forest and you were pretty sure you could find it again. Point taken, after a good thirty minutes, you reached the clearing. For a moment, you stood still to take in all the sounds and smells, once again wishing you could see this place's beauty as well. But you couldn't so you quickly let go of that thought and started walking to the middle of the field. It was quite dark around you, so now you were really blind. But that had never stopped you when you tried to play by yourself, so why would it now?

You placed the soccer ball at your feet when you were in what you assumed was the middle of the field. After a moment of hesitance, you started dribbling. It had been a few months since you last played, but our former skills quickly returned. You dribbled with the ball at your feet, dodging imaginary opponents and doing small tricks every now and then. You didn't try to shoot, because you knew that you would have to look for the ball afterwards and that would take very long.

You got so caught up in your plays, that you didn't notice your surroundings until something darted past you, catching you by surprise and stealing the ball at your feet. You lost your balance and fell to the ground, groaning when your hands and knees got wet from the dew drops. With squinted eyes, you glanced in the direction of your attacker, though you still couldn't see him or her.

"Sugoi, [l/n]-san!" Tenma's voice came from your left.

"That was impressive," your attacker said and you recognized his voice as Shindou Takuto's.

Hands grabbed your upper arms, pulling you up and enthusiastically shaking you afterwards. You suspected it was Tenma, and that was confirmed when he spoke. "That was so cool, you moved so quickly and gracefully, like you were dancing with the ball. It was... beautiful." You blushed from his last comment, while you heard Shindou and someone else - maybe Kirino-senpai? - silently snicker behind you. In the meantime, Tenma went on with his praises. "You have a great technique, and I really, really, really want to play with you. Please?"

"I-I can't," you said while taking a step back. Was he really going to do this again? "Maybe a one-on-one against you, sometimes, but I can't play with you. I can't pass."

"Have you ever tried it?" the third unknown voice asked and now you did recognize it as Kirino's. You thought for a while. Had you ever tried to play in a team? No, you hadn't. You, along with everyone else, had always just assumed that you couldn't play because you couldn't see, so you had never actually tried it. You shyly shook your head and with that, you sealed your fate. You should have known that they wouldn't let you off the hook after that.

And secretly, you were glad they didn't.

.

Panting, you leaned with your back against the apple tree as you sat underneath it. Tenma sat next to you, while your two senpais were on the other side of the field. The other players hadn't showed up yet, but it was still early. You hadn't brought a water bottle with you, but Tenma offered you some water. It felt great to finally play again, even though you really sucked at team play. Your passes always got intercepted and you always tripped over the ball when you received a pass. But you were content. Tenma, Shindou and Kirino didn't treat you like a helpless blind girl, so you didn't feel like one either.

"[l/n]-san?" Tenma started and you heard how he shifted nervously. You turned your head towards him and smiled kindly.

"Tenma, please, just call me [f/n]. I may know you for only three days, but it feels like an eternity."

"Okay then, [f/n]... Uhm, c-can I ask... do you like Shindou-senpai?"

You blinked and widened your eyes, though your vision didn't change. "Sh-Shindou-senpai?" you stuttered. "No, I don't, how did you get that idea?"

"You don't? Oh, I just thought, since you're staring at him a lot. He is quite handsome, so I figured..."

You laughed dryly. "I guess I have to take your word for it, I've never seen his face."

Tenma uttered a lot of gibberish when he remembered your handicap. He apologized after he re-invented Japanese words, but you waved him off. You weren't angry with him, and you actually found it kind of cute how he stuttered there.

"You can't see anything at all?" Tenma asked after a while.

"I can see blended colours, but no details. And if something or someone is far away, I can't make out the colours either."

"Can you see me now?"

"No, you're too far away," you answered. "It's strange, we're talking like we're great friends, but I have never even seen your face." You heard how he came closer to you and the next moment, Tenma grabbed your hand with his soft one and brought it to his face.

"You read with your fingers, right?" he joked. "Then you can see my face with your fingers as well." You blushed slightly as your fingers traveled over his face. His small nose, his big eyes, his chubby cheeks - which were warm for some reason - and his lips that were curved into a smile. You carved every edge, every curve of his face in your mind, thus forming a picture of what he looked like.

Your faces were already pretty close, but you felt how he leaned in. Your hand fell from his cheek and you found yourself do the same. His lips briefly brushed against yours, before he suddenly pulled away. Your cheeks heated up and you brought your hand to your lips. Did that count as your first kiss? His touch was so light that you wondered if it hadn't been your imagination.

"S-sorry," Tenma stuttered and you heard him get up.

"N-no, it's okay." Neither of you knew what to say.

"Hey lovebirds, break time is over!" Kirino shouted from across the field.

"S-senpai!" Tenma yelled embarrassed before he made his way over to them, followed by you.

"How about we hold a little match until the others join us? Kirino and I against the two of you," Shindou proposed when you reached them. You were about to protest, since you didn't think that was really fair, but Tenma agreed to it before you could say anything.

So you had your little match, but you still couldn't properly pass to anyone and Kirino and Shindou made their first three goals in no time. However, that didn't do anything to Tenma's good mood. He just kept on yelling that the next goal would be yours and he kept on encouraging you, even though you missed almost every pass. That greatly helped you, his unlimited encouragement and trust in you. _He really thinks I can do it,_ you thought happily and you felt a new determination. You wouldn't let his trust unrequited!

You were currently running towards Shindou, who just received a pass from Kirino. When you were so close to him that you could hear his breaths, he suddenly shouted "Presto Turn!"

You heard how he kicked the ball up a few times and then ran away. He passed you on your left side, but since you didn't follow his movements before - for the simple reason that you couldn't - you had enough time to react. You moved your left foot backward, kicking the ball away just before Shindou darted away at high speed.

"What?" you heard him yell in surprise as you picked up the loose ball and dribbled up the field.

"I won't let you!" Kirino yelled in a determined voice. He was somewhere in front of you. "Deep Mist!"

The green blurs were replaced by white ones, but you didn't pay attention to that. You were used to playing based on what you heard, rather than what you saw. Shindou's and Kirino's hissatsus were based on the opponents sight. They used that to confuse him and slow him down, so they could steal the ball in a moment of confusement. But since you didn't use your eyes, the techniques didn't work on you. You heard Kirino's soft feet on the grass and just as he ran forward to take the ball, you turned your body so he ran past you. You heard him scream and fall to the ground when you ran out of his cloud of mist with the ball at your feet. Now there was no one left between you and the goal, but the only problem for you was: where was the goal? You knew where it was in general, but you weren't quite sure where it was exactly.

"[f/n]!" Tenma shouted behind you. His voice was filled with so much trust, so much belief, that you felt like you could fly. And if you could fly, why would you not be able to pass properly? With the back of your heel, you kicked the ball in the direction of his voice. You knew he received it, even before he kicked the ball in the 'goal'.

"That was great," Shindou commented after he helped Kirino up. "How could you get through us so easily?"

"You need your opponents to look and hesitate for your hissatsus," you explained. "But I can't see, so they don't work on me."

"[f/n]!" Tenma yelled as he suddenly hugged you from behind. "You did it! You passed the ball, I knew you could do it!" From his sudden weight, both of you fell to the ground. You laid on your back with him half on top of you.

You heard the muffled snickers of your senpais, and Kirino commented: "Oh, [l/n]-san. If you could just see Tenma's face right now..."

"S-senpai!" Tenma yelled and the embarrassment dripped from his voice. "I-I'm sorry, [f/n], I-"

You cut him off by raising your head and kissing him. It wasn't a perfectly romantic kiss like they always did in films, because you did it quickly. It landed half on his lips and half on his cheeks, but the action was enough to shut him up. "I _can_ see him," you smiled, solely looking up at Tenma. "I see you very clearly."

The next moment, Tenma's lips were on yours again. But not faint, like the first time. He kissed you long and passionately, and right that moment, you knew that you were in love with him.

* * *

><p><strong>Me: This was inspired by many films with blind people who do great things, despite their handicap. One of them is Ice Castles and another one is Quest for Camelot. There are more, but I don't remember all the names :)<strong>

**Tsurugi: Why is this so long?**

**Me: Tenma's stories are always long! I didn't know where to stop, it was so fun to write!^^ I had so many ideas for this, so I tried to use as many as possible.**

**Tenma: Review please!^^**

**Bye!**


	16. Minaho Kazuto

**Me: Wow, thank you so much for all your kind reviews, minna! They encouraged me so much and they made me happy beyond imagination! I hope this chapter (and the ones after this) will be just as good, but I don't promise anything. MINAHO, DISCLAIMER!**

**Minaho: *looking around with magnifying glass***

**Me: Minaho~!**

**Minaho: Just a minute, I'm looking for my contract with Level 5 which states that people can't use me for any of their fanfics.**

**Me: *casually* Oh, that thing! Don't worry about it, I burned it.**

**Minaho: O.o You did what?!**

**Me: Hehehe, so... Could you do the disclaimer?**

**Minaho: *walks away* No way, I need to sign a new one or people will write more fanfics about me!**

**Me: OI! YOU COULD AT LEAST HAVE DONE THE DISCLAIMER, YA KNOW! *sigh* I don't own anything, minna! Please have fun!**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Minaho Kazuto ~ White lie<strong>_

* * *

><p><em>The truth will set you free.<em>

That line had been your motto for a long time. Your mother had given you a small white tile for your eighth birthday, on which that saying was painted in blue letters. It was originally a tile for in the bathroom, but you wouldn't have any of that. You wanted it on your bedroom wall, so you could look at it every morning when you woke up.

For a long time, you actually believed this saying. As long as you would speak truthfully, as long as you would be honest, nothing bad would happen. However, just because you were so honest, people started to dislike you. Ironic, huh? But it was also understandable since you were way too frank. However, since you were still very young and couldn't 'read' other people really well, and since your parents were often busy and hadn't taught you much about politeness, you didn't notice that.

So if a girl asked you what you thought of her new pink dress with frills, and you thought it made her look like a pig, you would say it. If a boy threw a paper plane through the classroom and the teacher angrily asked who'd done it, you would point out the culprit without hesitance. If a classmate wanted to work with you on an assignment, you would straightforwardly say that you didn't want to because the other was dumb or slow or something like that.

You didn't realize at the time what was wrong with your honesty. After all, being honest would only lead you to good things, right? It would set you free. But after a while, people started avoiding you and you didn't understand why. When you asked them, they just gave you dirty looks and walked away without another word. Even now, you remembered that you had spent entire nights in bed, hugging your knees and wondering why people didn't like you. You hadn't done anything wrong, right? You had only spoken the truth, so why?

This went on until you turned twelve and reached your last year of elementary school. You were tired of being ignored and tried once again to get closer to your classmates. The only thing that was different in your approach, was that you didn't speak truthfully anymore. You were hesitant about it at first, but you grew more confident when it turned out alright for you. People grew to like you, and you slept better at night. You had removed the tile from your wall, unable to look at it since it wasn't true. The truth didn't set you free, it only made your life more complicated.

Lies seeped into your words until you lied more often than you spoke truthfully. You'd compliment people from out of nowhere, you'd keep silent or give a cheeky remark when the teacher was angry with the class and if you got a bad student to work with for an assignment, you'd just put up with it. You grew more popular and when you entered Jr. High, you didn't know any better than to lie to people.

You enrolled in Tengawara Jr. Gakuen and quickly made a few friends. One of the boys in your class caught your interest and after a few months, you felt yourself falling for him. His name was Minaho Kazuto, a boy with orange hair that points up at the sides. You once worked with him on a duo assignment, but you hadn't talked to him other than that. The good thing was that you had exchanged phone numbers during that assignment, the bad thing was that you never dared to send any texts to him. _What good would it do?_ you always thought bitterly as you deleted another text message. _He probably already deleted my number anyway._

School was okay: it wasn't exactly fun, but it was bearable. The amount of homework was reasonable and you always had leisure time after you finished it. You didn't really like your friends, but you always lied about that and occasionally hung out with them. No one ever noticed you weren't truthful, since you were a really good liar.

But a few months before the end of the school year, it all went horribly wrong. You had told two people two different stories and they found out that you were lying almost all the time. The rumour spread quickly and in no time at all, you were known as 'the liar'. No one believed you anymore when you said something and they started to ignore you again. Some girls called you 'drama queen' or other silly names and though you didn't show it, it hurt.

Many sleepless nights followed, which had a heavy impact on the grades you got in the last weeks. You often wondered what you should do next. You knew that it wasn't good to lie, but lying brought you much more than the truth had ever done.

* * *

><p>As you dug through your bag, searching for your bento, something loudly collided with your desk. You looked up, only to see the angry scowl on your former friend's face. Fumio-chan had been a friend before, but she turned away from you after she found out about your lies, like everyone else. Her family was one of the wealthiest in town and Fumio always wore the latest designer clothes. If looks could kill, you would've been sent to the graveyard by now.<p>

"Where is it?" she hissed through her teeth.

"Where is what?" you asked indifferently, not really caring about her.

"Don't play dumb!" she shrieked, attracting attention from every student in the classroom. All conversations ceased as everyone stared at her and, unfortunately, at you. "Where is my silver bracelet?" Your eyes automatically shifted to her bare right wrist. Fumio got a silver bracelet, embedded with small onyx, from her parents for her birthday last month. She really treasured the ornament and showed it off whenever she could.

You shrugged and turned to your books again. "How would I know?" you mumbled.

"You stole it!" she yelled accusingly, and from the corner of your eyes you noticed how your classmates came closer, forming a circle around you. They were like a pack of wolves cornering an injured deer. A bead of sweat dripped down your neck when you realized who, between Fumio and yourself, was that injured deer.

"I didn't steal it," you denied, waving your arms to underline your statement.

"Liar!" she said and that name was repeated in mumbles by your classmates. "I often saw you glancing at it. You must have wanted it all for yourself and since you couldn't afford one, you stole mine!"

"I did not!"

"Liar," she said again. "All you ever do is lie, so if you say you didn't steal it, then you must have stolen it." She said it as if it was as obvious as the earth being round. Blood rushed to your cheeks when your classmates once again unanimously chose Fumio's side.

"Baka," you said. "If I say I did steal it you would believe me, but if I say I didn't steal it, you won't. How can I ever prove my innocence like that?"

"Gammon and spinach," a boy said. You couldn't determine whose voice it was, but that didn't matter since everyone wholeheartedly supported the anonymous speaker. You felt a growing pressure on your chest when you seemed to find enemies wherever you looked. Was there really no one who would side with you?

"Give it back!" Fumio yelled and in the heat of the moment, she raised her right hand to slap you on the cheek, a movement that was accompanied by encouraging yells from your classmates. However, she never hit you, for she was stopped by a calm but stern voice.

"There's no need to jump to conclusions." The crowd parted, revealing Minaho Kazuto. Your heart started to beat faster at the sight of his orange locks. His right hand was holding his cheek, while his right elbow was supported by his left hand. His eyes were closed and he was obviously deep in thought. When he opened his eyes, a small smile played around his lips.

Fumio realized that she got carried away and lowered her arm in shame, but she kept on glaring at you. "But she-"

"All we know is that your bracelet is gone," Minaho said. "We don't know if [l/n]-san has anything to do with it." People, boys and girls alike, looked down and shuffled with their feet when they realized that they might've gone too far.

Fumio tried to talk with Minaho, though you noticed that she, too, was a little ashamed. "But I caught her staring at it more than once and I know she likes it. Plus, she always lies!"

"That's true, but that doesn't have to mean anything. I think the best thing we can do now is to start an investigation. I will personally question the suspects and I'll do my best to find the missing bracelet again." He said it proudly, like a detective from an old movie. You figured he watched a lot of those.

.

And that is how you ended up with your one and only crush on the rooftop. He said he'd rather taken you to an empty classroom, but since he hadn't such a luxury, the roof was the best alternative. You grew quite nervous once you were really alone with him. You wanted to run, but you were quite certain that a few classmates were guarding the stairs.

Sighing, you sat down on the concrete edge around the room, feeling the metal fence against your back. Minaho sat down next to you and you immediately turned your back at him. You were furious since everyone accused you without any prove. Sure, you lied a lot, but that didn't mean you were an evil criminal or something!

"Are you okay?" Minaho inquired, but you didn't bother to answer. Just because Minaho stood up for you back then didn't mean he was your friend. He was here to question you, and you were sure that he secretly sided with Fumio.

The silence lasted and lasted, until you got curious and turned around. Minaho wasn't looking at you, like you had expected. Instead he looked down on the schoolyard and the students that ate outside on the benches or on the grass.

"Do you like Fumio-chan's bracelet, [l/n]-san?" Minaho asked and glanced at you from the corner of his eye. Your jaw clenched slightly, but you kept your composure. _There it is,_ you thought bitterly, still staring over the schoolyard. _If I say yes, he'll accuse me of stealing it. So should I lie now? But Fumio-chan already said I liked it and if I say no, it'll only be suspicious now..._

"Yes, I like it."

"I see," Minaho nodded as both of you turned your faces toward each other. "I never really got a good look of it, can you describe it to me?"

"Describe it?" you asked in genuine surprise. "Ano... It is silver and it has these small black stones on it... Fourteen, if I remember correctly, since she turned fourteen last month. They're onyx, by the way, those stones. Those colours, black and silver, make it a little mysterious and beautiful."

"It sure sounds pretty," Minaho smiled warmly. You instantly felt your cheeks heat up and you looked at your hands in your lap. He asked a few more questions after that, which you all answered while looking at your hands. You were scared to look at those intimidating dark gray orbs of his, for you feared you would make a fool out of yourself once you did. "[l/n]-san?"

"Hmm?"

"Can you look me in the eye while answering my next question?"

You reluctantly obeyed and stared in his eyes. He stared so intensely back at you that you immediately blushed again. You felt like he was studying every inch of your face, judging whether he liked what he saw or not. Your blush darkened as you recalled what you looked like in the mirror this morning. You weren't the type to wear make-up, so your skin wasn't really smooth or flawless. You suddenly got the urge to hide your face in your hands, but you resisted.

"Did you..." Minaho started slowly, "steal Fumio-chan's bracelet or not?"

"No," you said, but your throat was dry and it came out as a whisper. You hastily cleared it and said it again, louder this time. "No, I did not steal her bracelet."

Minaho's eyes squinted before he abruptly stood up. "Come on, lunch break is ending soon. We should head back to the classroom."

As you followed him down the stairs and back to the classroom, you mentally slapped yourself. During the entire 'interrogation', you had done nothing but give signs that indicated lying. It was all because of your nerves, but now you blamed yourself for it. You had once looked up how one could detect lies by body language and had found things that made it likely that someone lied. Not contracting your words, for example, or using the questioner's words to formulate an answer. _"I did not steal her bracelet." _"Baka," you whispered to yourself. Another thing was turning your face or body away and not making eye contact, which you had done almost all the time. "Baka, baka, baka."

But there was nothing you could do about that anymore. You entered the classroom after Minaho, who instantly went up to Fumio-chan. "Well?" asked the anxious girl as if she head a deadly disease and he was a doctor who could cure her.

Minaho shot you one last glance before he cleared his throat and said in a clear voice: "[l/n]-san did not steal your bracelet, Fumio-chan."

You had a really hard time to keep your jaw from hitting the ground. _What the... Why didn't he sell me out? _you thought, astonished. _I thought my nerves made it seem obvious that I was lying.__  
><em>

* * *

><p>During the next classes, people occasionally shot you suspicious glances, but they'd let you off the hook after the bracelet was returned. One of your senpais had found the adornment in the girl's toilet and returned it to Fumio-chan between classes. The delighted girl didn't apologize to you, and neither did your classmates, but you didn't care about that. Right now, you wanted to talk to one person only.<p>

When classes were finally over for today, you quickly got your stuff from your locker and then hurried to Minaho's locker. Said boy was just placing the books that he didn't need for tomorrow in it and you patiently waited until he was ready. With your back against the lockers beside his and your arms crossed, you watched as shock and surprise came over his usually neutral features after he closed his locker and saw you. He quickly composed himself, however.

"Hey, [l/n]-san," he said casually, lifting his bag to sling it over his shoulder. "What brings you here?"

"Why did you lie?" you blurted out. You hadn't really thought about what you would say when you faced him and now you just said the first thing on your mind.

"Lie?"

"Why did you tell them I didn't steal Fumio-chan's bracelet?"

His lips curled in an amused smile and you would gladly give ten years from your life if you could kiss them right now. But you couldn't, you had to stay focussed! "I certainly didn't lie about that, did I?" he chuckled. "Fumio-chan just forgot to put it on after washing her hands. You had nothing to do with it, or am I mistaken."

"No, it's just..." you sighed, feeling frustrated with yourself for not properly voicing your thoughts. "Back on the roof, didn't you think it was obvious that I lied? I know what body language makes it more likely that someone lies, and I did almost all of that! Not to make you believe that I did lie, but didn't you notice that at all?" The last line came out hurriedly, because you remembered that you were now trying to make your crush believe that you lied... _Yeah, let's not try that!_

"Of course I noticed, it was rather hard to miss."

"Then why didn't you tell them?"

"I watched you since those rumours started about you lying about everything and I noticed that you're a really good liar, [l/n]-san." You frowned a little while thinking: _i__s he complimenting me or reprimanding me? _You didn't know how to respond, so you just waited for him to continue. "So I thought that there should have been another reason for why you acted like that on the roof. Whatever it was that you were lying about, it wasn't the bracelet."

"I wasn't really... lying, you know?" you muttered while looking down.

"Gomen, my bad," he apologized immediately. Silence followed after that, seeing as most of the other students already headed home. It wasn't that late yet, but it was surprising how the school grounds could be cleared of students on a warm Friday afternoon. Everyone had rushed out, ready to enjoy their weekends. This was why Minaho and you were the only ones in the hallways, and realizing this sent a little more blood than usual to your cheeks.

You cleared your throat and flashed him a cheerful smile, which you faked just a little. "Well, and here I thought I would be crushing your dreams to become a detective by saying that you couldn't read any body language, but it turned out alright. I'm glad, now I won't have a heavy heart this weekend." You laughed only a tad too loud and too long as you scratched the back of your head. "Anyways, I have an appointment and I need to hurry to make it in time. See you Monday, okay?"

You pushed yourself off and almost got away from this nerve-wrecking situation. Almost. Minaho's hand lashed out and grabbed your wrist, not tight enough to cause you pain but tight enough to stop you from running away. You turned around, you widened eyes displaying the shock you felt upon his sudden actions. He watched you with a neutral look in his eyes.

"That's a lie," was all he said, but it caused your heart to skip a beat. Your skin began to tingle where he touched you, so you pulled your hand out of his grasp. He let you go without comment, but kept on staring at you, keeping you trapped in his gaze like a rabbit in the headlight of an approaching car.

"No it's not, I really have to go somewhere." You tried to make your statement sound casual and light, but you couldn't help but sound a bit tense.

"No you don't," Minaho said, still without any accusation in his voice or words. "That's a lie."

You broke a sweat upon seeing him being so calm and as he took a slow step towards you, you hurried to take one back. This continued until you were with your back against the cool metal of the lockers, smiling nervously as he stood a few feet in front of you. Figuring that you couldn't talk yourself out of this, you just smile and said nervously: "Only a white lie."

"I wonder why you keep doing that," he said while he held his chin with his hand. He looked like a professor studying a newfound fish in his aquarium. "Lying, I mean. And I wonder why you are so bad at it all of a sudden." He bent forward, his head inching closer to your face to study you a little better.

Your breathing sped up because of your nerves, and you had a hard time standing straight. Your knees went weak from all his attention and if he would go on a little longer, he could see you laying on the floor. Upon picturing the scene in your head, your body doubled the amount of blood in your cheeks. You pressed your palms against the lockers, trying to keep yourself up and to not show him that you were trembling. You wanted to say something to advert his attention, but all that left your mouth after you parted you lips, were stutters.

Minaho finally seemed to realize your unease as he stood up straight and flashed you an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry," he said with sincerity shining in his eyes. "I find people's feelings interesting because they help me to understand them better. And you are _really _interesting... I wanted to find out what you really feel and think, but I think I just crossed a line. I'm sorry for that."

He patted your head in a friendly manner and adjusted his bag as he headed for the door. You were still frozen in place, silently watching as he increased the distance between you and him. You were grateful that he left, but at the same time, you were devestated. He said that he wanted to find out what you felt, and right now, you felt the natural urge to give him what he wanted. Cursing your crushing feelings for the detective in the making, you called out at his back: "Wait!"

He turned around and smiled kindly at you. "What's the matter, [l/n]-san?"

You closed your eyes, too scared to look him in the eyes while you confessed. "I... I-I... I..." _God, why is this so hard? _"I..." As you struggled with your words, Minaho had walked back to you and stood in front of you again.

"Take it easy, [f/n]-chan," he smiled.

Hearing him say your first name made your heart jump a little. "I like you!" you yelled while facing the ground and keeping your eyes tightly squeezed shut. A soft chuckle from him, however, made you look up.

"As I predicted," he muttered contently to himself and you would have backed away if your back wasn't already against the lockers. _H-he predicted it?_ you thought in shock. _You mean, all this was just a little game for him?_

"Pred-dicted?" you breathed out, still not believing what you just heard. Minaho looked up, apparently surprised that you heard him, but he soon smiled kindly at you. His right hand stroke your left cheek and he leaned in to kiss you on your right cheek.

"I was only checking if my feelings were mutual," he smiled before he pressed his lips against your heated cheeks. You felt like a vulcano at the verge of erupting. The blood in your cheeks was boiling and it wouldn't surprise you if you would explode from all that happened now.

Your body seemed melted from the inside and that was probably why you processed everything so very slowly. When it finally penetrated you that he did indeed like you back, you had yet to order your arms to do something. Slowly and carefully, but also rushed because he might disappear if you didn't hurry, you put your arms around his back. A single tear slipped from your eye, but it quickly got absorbed by the fabric of his school uniform.

You don't know how long the two of you stood there like that, but when you finally pulled away, all you could do was look in each other's eyes. You couldn't believe that this was really happening. "It's not a lie, you know that right?" you asked warily after thinking that he might not believe in your genuine intensions at this point.

"I know," he chuckled as he bent forward to kiss you on the lips. Your heart beat in your throat as you mirrored his actions, but he halted before your lips actually touched. "I'm predicting that you want to kiss me right now," came his teasing remark and you rolled your eyes.

"Oh shut up," you murmured, right before closing the distance between you and him. All thoughts faded to the background, and the only thing that occupied your mind was the amazing taste of Minaho's lips and the vague realization that this is the first time you saw fireworks when it wasn't New Year's Eve.

* * *

><p><strong>Me: Tadaa! Wow, I'm really bad at keeping these things short, aren't I? I hope you guys liked it and if you did (or didn't) tell me about it in a review!^^<strong>

**Minaho: Woohoo! I signed a new contract! ^^ *waves contract around while doing happy dance***

**Me: Congratulations, Minaho-kun. *smirk* I'm still gonna post this though.**

**Minaho: What? NOOOOO!**

**Me: Too late, it's already online! MUHAHAHA! (ain't I evil? (A))**


	17. Fideo Ardena

**Me: Hey, minna-san! Here's another chapter for My Other Half. Shoujiki Shouji, I dedicate this one to you (partly as an apology since I never wrote the Mark Kruger one you once requested, partly because you requested Fideo :P hehe). I hope you like it!**

**I own nothing, on with the story!**

**Ps. _Sensei_ doesn't only mean 'teacher' for it can also mean 'doctor'.**

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><p><em><strong>Fideo Ardena ~ Alone or together?<strong>_

* * *

><p>I was born on a Monday, fourteen years ago. As of today, I'm 14,38 years old. That's the same as 5.253 days or 126.072 hours or 7.564.320 minutes. It's strange to think that my mother gave birth to me only 453.859.200... 453.859.201... 453.859.202 seconds ago. It seems like a lifetime if you put it like that, huh? But it's only a little longer than fourteen years. I often keep track of time like this, for it keeps me busy. The downside is that I can't really go further than the seconds...<p>

Of all the days I have lived, I think I spent almost a third in this stupid hospital, either rehabilitating or getting treatment. Every time I got out of the hospital and believed that I could finally start a normal life, people in white coats pulled me away from that dream and advised me another treatment. I got so sick and tired of this!

I'm told that I was kind of anemic when I was young and they made me swallow iron supplements to counter that, but I still felt drained all the time. My parents were worried of course, so I had tried to act like nothing was wrong. That went well for a while. I didn't tell them about the pain in my back or the awful itches, nor did I tell anyone about how much it hurt when I went to the toilet. I didn't even realize that that wasn't right until my mom once noticed a little blood in the toilet (when I was far too young to get a period). She took me to the hospital and after many tests, the doctors concluded that there was a problem with my kidneys. They wanted me to stay in the hospital, so I had to leave my home and I missed a lot of school since then. People, mostly my parents and relatives, still visited me, but it felt strange.

The doctors gave me medication that caused me head aches and made me feel tired all the time. The medicines didn't even work in the end. Things like that happened to me now and then and they taught me one very important thing: I can't afford to trust doctors. They only seemed to think of me as a guinea pig for their medicines, or saw me as a way to gain acknowledgement from the press. They pretended to care, but deep inside they didn't mind if I was hurt or not. The nurses were different and treated me gently and with consideration, but the doctors had become my self-proclaimed mortal enemies.

A knock on the door cut my staring session with the lime green hospital wall short and I whipped my head towards the sound. "Come in!" I said and the door opened shortly after. The sight of the brunette made my lips part in a smile. "Fideo."

"Hey [f/n], how are you doing?" He smiled sweetly as he sat down on the guest chair and laid a single with rose on the cupboard beside my hospital bed. I smiled at the sight. Fideo was really busy with his soccer practice and only visited me once a week, sometimes even once every other week if he was too busy for me, but every time he visited he brought me a white rose. 'A white rose from the white meteor,' I often said to tease him, to which he replied with: 'and brought for the lady with the white skin'.

It was true, ever since I was readmitted fourteen months ago, I hadn't been in the sun very often and my skin tone had gotten quite pale. I hadn't been to school since that day and most of the friends I made in Junior High had forgotten about my existence. I shouldn't be surprised, since that happened all the time. A few people from the class would visit the first two months and bring me cards and stuff, and only my close friends would come in the few months after that. After that, no one seemed to bother about me anymore and they stopped visiting.

But Fideo was different. I had known him since he transferred to my Elementary school, two years before we would enter Junior High, and we had been good friends ever since. He had taught me how to play soccer and we often played together before I got readmitted. I had expected him to turn away from me, just like everyone else, but he still stuck around.

We chatted a little and the atmosphere in the room was light and casual. I asked him about his soccer team, since I knew that he was part of Italy's national team, Orpheus. I was happy for him of course, but didn't like the fact that I could only see him on TV, or that he couldn't visit me as often as before. Still, I pushed those negative thoughts to the background when he was around and acted like the lighthearted girl he knew I was.

"Well, I have to get going, [f/n]" Fideo said with regret in his voice, "I still have to practice with the team." He stood up and dusted his pants, even though it wasn't dirty.

I pouted slightly and moved to get up too, but he kept my shoulders to keep me on the bed. "No fair," I said. "I want to get out too and watch you play soccer like in the old days." His stern expression softened a little and he smiled a tender smile at me.

"You just have to do your best to get better, okay? See you soon, [f/n]!"

"Goodbye," I muttered as the door closed behind his back.

* * *

><p>My [ec] eyes were cold as I looked him in the eye and I said: "No, I won't."

"[l/n]-san, you have to understand-" the doctor in front of my tried, but I interrupted him.

"No, _you_ have to understand. I'm not a golden ticked to fame in the medical world, okay? I'm a living human being and I won't, I repeat, I won't take that damn surgery!"

"[l/n]-chan," my nurse exclaimed, shocked that I dared to use this tone against a doctor. "Maybe you just have to think a little about it? You should talk to your parents," she encouraged gently.

"Excuse me," I said bluntly as I turned and walked out of the room, leaving both my nurse and that doctor behind. Like hell I would take a surgery which' chances of success were barely sixty percent! As I thought, this was just another charlatan who wanted to profit from my condition!

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><p><em>This is why I hate doctors,<em> I thought as the door to my hospital room opened again. It was the same doctor from a week ago, who wanted me to undergo surgery to remove my troublesome kidney. This guy wasn't just annoying anymore for constantly pestering me about that damn surgery, he was downright rude for intruding me during my few hours of happiness: when Fideo visited me. He must've noticed that I acted different around Fideo and wanted to take advantage from that.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you," he said while looking at his clipboard.

I wanted to sneer in response, but Fideo was faster. "No problem at all, sensei," he smiled politely. The doctor bowed his head towards him before turning to me.

"[l/n]-san, I'm here because I wanted to talk with you about that surgery."

"That won't be necessary, sensei," I said in a sugar sweet voice, though my eyes stood cold.

"We might be able to stabilize your condition with medication, though it will be hard to improve it. If you went to take the surgery-"

"Why would I?"

"The chances of success are above average, in fact, they're-"

"Too low for me."

"A seventyfive-percent chance of success is quite reasonable."

"But there's also a twentyfive-percent chance that you'll mess up," I said coldly, trying to hide my surprise about the percentage. I thought it was only sixty percent...

"That's true." His straight-forwardness and honesty surprised me, though I didn't let it faze me.

I put my right elbow on my knee and leaned my head in my hand, smiling mockingly at him. "Tell me, sensei... Why do you really want me to take that surgery?" I provoked. "Is it because you want to gain as much fame as fast as possible? Or do you think it will be interesting to take a better look at a pair of messed up kidneys like mine?" He didn't respond to my provocation, but I kept on pushing. "After all, what would you care about the blood of a girl on your hands if you mes-"

I got abruptly cut off when I felt a stinging sensation in my cheek. I looked up to see Fideo with his hand raised, his gaze cast on the ground as he trembled from anger. "Don't talk such nonsense!" he hissed, and when he finally looked me in the eye, my heart skipped a beat. "You promised me you would do your best to get better, [f/n], but you... You're shutting everyone out!" With that, he walked away with an angry pace, slamming the door behind him.

I looked at my knees once I processed his words and it surprised me to see drips of water appearing on the fabric. It wasn't until I felt a tear run down my cheek that I realized that I was crying. The doctor still stood next to my bed, doing nothing to comfort me. I was grateful for that, because I didn't like it when strangers suddenly patted my back and talked like they knew me.

After I finally unfroze, I pushed my blankets back and let my feet touch the cold hospital floor. I had to talk to him! "Wait," the doctor said in a calm tone of voice. I glared at him through my tears and my chin came forward to express my stubbornness. There was no way I would let him stop me! But he surprised my when he grabbed my flip-flops from underneath my bed and made me put them on. After that, he opened the door for me and said two simple words: "Good luck."

.

I quickly found Fideo in the main hall, boiling in his frustration. As soon as he saw me, he got up and started to apologize, but I interrupted him. "No, I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't push them away, but... but..." Hiccups and sobs gave me a hard time while speaking and Fideo simply pulled me closer and rubbed my back. I let out all the tears and feelings that I had been keeping in for months. "I-if the su-s-surgery fails, I'll die without accomplishing anything. I haven't done any of the things I want to do in life... Who would remember me after I'm gone? Everyone already forgot about me while I'm still alive."

Fideo didn't reply but kept on whispering soothing words in my ear. The touch of his hand on my back, his strong arms around me to keep me up, his warm breath against my ear and hair, it all helped to calm me down. "I will," he whispered after I calmed down a bit. I wanted to look up at his face to see what he meant, but he had pressed me so close against his body that I couldn't move. It was as if he planned to never let go of me again. "I would miss you, [f/n], I would remember you. You're special to me."

"Fideo," I murmured with his shirt pressed against my mouth. My eyes were wide as I listened to his soft voice.

"I don't know when it changed," he chuckled. "At first you were just my buddy, a good friend with whom I could talk. But now... I want you to be safe, okay? Safe and healthy."

.

The preparations for the surgery didn't take long and after talking it through with my parents, the day finally came that I laid on that bed. Doctors and nurses rode me towards the surgery room and put a cap on my hair for hygienic reasons. Fideo walked along with the moving bed, looking in my eyes for as long as possible.

"See you soon, [f/n]," he smiled, though I saw a glint of worry in his eyes. "I love you."

I gasped from his sudden confession, but then smiled. "I love-"

"No." _Huh? _"Don't tell me that now. Tell me after you're fully healed, okay?"

I smiled before we the doors opened and I was pushed in while a nurse told him to stay behind. "I promise." All I remember from that surgery was that they put a mask on my face and that my nurse squeezed my hand reassuringly. Then I slowly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p>As I woke up, the first question my foggy mind formed and the first question that left my mouth, was: "Where's Fideo?"<p>

My heart ached a little when my father gave me an apologetic smile. "Fideo had to go on a journey. Orpheus got through the preliminaries and he went with his teammates to Liocott Island."

The fact that he wasn't around hurt a bit, but I was happy about what he had achieved. Still, even though it was very logical for him to go away to fight the world, this called for revenge. I wasn't going to let him get away with this that easily!

In my heart I had already forgiven him, of course. I had meant every word of what I had told him right before the surgery, or rather, of what I had almost told him right before the surgery. He cut me off, after all, saying that I should tell him afterwards. And now that I was ready for that, he decided to run away? _Not on my watch_, I thought and mentally smirked at the prospect of my plan.

First, I was going to let him struggle a little.

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><p>"Aren't you a bit too hard on him?" my nurse asked as she entered the room. I laid in bed with a smile on my face, staring at the ringing phone in my hand. The caller-ID showed that it was Fideo who called me, but I didn't pick it up. Since I woke up from my narcosis, I had answered only one of his calls. I had told him in a brisk voice that the surgery was a success and then hung up on him as he tried to apologize for leaving. He called me a lot since then, but I barely replied to his calls or messages. "He couldn't say no to his team, you know?" my nurse went on. "He stayed here until the last possible moment."<p>

"I know," I smiled lovingly at his picture. My nurse just shook her head and walked away again. When the ringing stopped, I laid back down and waited for another call. A call that wouldn't be from Fideo. A couple of minutes later, my phone started ringing and vibrating again, and I lazily opened one eye to look at it. Both eyes shot open, however, when I recognized the number as my mother's and I quickly picked it up.

"[l/n] [f/n]"

_"We're ready, sweety. We'll come and pick you up in a few hours."_

And surely, two hours later, I sat in the back of my car. A wheelchair was neatly folded in the trunk, next to my mother's suitcase and my own. I knew it had been a crazy request to ask of them and I had expected them to turn it down right away, but to my great surprise, both quickly agreed. Because of my condition, we hadn't been able to go on vacation in the past six years, and my parents gladly took a break to celebrate the successful surgery.

The doctor and the nurses didn't want me to leave so fast already, but my parents managed to convince them. Furthermore, I can be very stubborn if I want to, and I was willing to do whatever it took me to get to him. In the end, the nurses agreed, but only if I promised to take it easy and go by wheelchair. I quickly agreed with that, since I was still far to weak to walk around again. I would have to use the wheelchair for at least a few weeks if I took it easy.

.

Hours later, the plane we were on safely landed on Liocott Island. I breathed in the fresh air as my dad went to get our suitcases. The whole flight had been hectic, but now that I was finally here, I was full of energy. Finally I would get to see Fideo again. We enjoyed our afternoon strolling - or rolling, in my case - through the different areas and around five P.M., my parents dropped me off at the lodge for Italy's team. Wishing me good luck, they walked away to find us a good hotel to stay for the night. I promised to call them after I was finished here.

Italy's lodge was deserted, except for the housekeeper. The old lady let me wait inside after I explained the situation to her, and she told me about how many times she'd seen the team's captain desperately dialing someone who refused to give up. The fact that I was now here made her giggle slightly as she made me some tea.

I was early, but I didn't mind that because the housekeeper was a really nice lady. After almost an hour had passed, I heard how the front door slid open, followed by cries to show that the team had arrived. They happily chatted among each other as they took off their dirty shoes and walked in to greet the housekeeper before they would take a bath and have dinner together. However, as soon as they laid eyes on me, they froze.

It was a funny sight so see: a whole team of handsome young boys gawking at me. I giggled slightly as I rolled my wheelchair away from the table. As I slowly approached them, my eyes locked with a certain brunette's. Fideo's expression was the most priceless one of all. His eyes and mouth were wide open and a pink blush coloured his cheeks. His hair was messy and his clothes were dirty from all the practice he'd done, but to me, he looked amazing. "[f-f/n]?" he asked with uncertainty tinting his voice, as if he didn't believe I was really there. I guess it really was hard to believe that I was there, after I ignored almost all of his calls.

I rolled forward until I was right in front of him and smiled while looking up. "I still have something to say to you," I smiled. "I love you."

He didn't move until an enthusiastic teammate pushed him forward. He instantly wrapped his hands around my neck and pulled me close to his body, though he was careful not to hurt me. His uniform was clammy and he smelled like sweat, but I didn't care. I squeezed a small tear from my eyes as I wrapped my arms around him as well. It seemed like he took this as a sign, because he pressed me even closer to his body. I felt safe and secured in his embrace, while his teammates discretely went back to their rooms, allowing us a little privacy.

Just like that day when Fideo convinced me to take the surgery, his touch gave me strength and courage. I might be sitting in a wheelchair, but I felt like I could take on the entire world.

As long as Fideo was by my side.

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><p><strong>Me: God, was that ending rushed andor crappy? I have the feeling it was... Please tell me what you think in a review, okay? ^^)**


	18. Mark Kruger

**Me: Wow, foreign boys sure are popular, aren't they? Well, _all_ these boys are foreigners for me, since there are no Dutch boys in the show, but you get what I mean, don't you? It's Mark Kruger's turn, people!^^**

**Mark: Wha-? Me?**

**Me: No, Santa Claus -.-" Of course it's you. Hurry up and do the disclaimer!**

**Mark: Sorry, sorry, I was just asking! Geez, take it easy...**

**Me: Disclaimer. Now!**

**Mark: *sweatdrop* Lotus Sword doesn't own Inazuma Eleven, you or me, even if she's ordering me around here like a dog. Tell me, does she do that to you as well?**

**Me: On with the story.**

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><p><em><strong>Mark Kruger ~ Long-distance<strong>_

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><p><strong>Monday<strong>

I wasn't the girl to dislike school. To be honest, I kind of liked to go there. The subjects weren't really hard if you paid attention in class and did your homework, and it was great to chat with my friends in the breaks. So no, I didn't dislike school.

Except for when they messed up, that is. For example, they had planned last year's sports event right before the test week started. I was too exhausted to study for the tests I had the day after! When my school made such stupid mistakes, I tended to dislike it.

Now was another example, even though the school directors couldn't have done anything to prevent this. Our class was going on an one-week trip to America. We would stay with host families, visit different places and go to museums to make some assignments (after all, there had to be educational motive for this trip). We went by plane and please don't ask me how Raimon could afford such an extravagant journey, because I've wondered about that myself.

Anyways, we arrived about three hours ago and went to our destination by bus. But now that we arrived in the borough where our host families lived, a woman awaited us, telling us that one of the host families wasn't available anymore. Apparently, a relative of them had ended up in the hospital in a critical state and I could understand that those people didn't want a bunch of teenagers in their home in these circumstances.

But why, oh why, did it have to be the host family where I would stay with two of my friends?

The lady was very considerate and she told us that she had already negotiated with other people, asking if they could take us in for the week. An older couple had volunteered, but they could only take in two of us, so one had to sleep alone in a house full of strangers. And after a very serious battle (rock, paper, scissors), I was the one who had to go with the nice lady. I tried my best not to look disappointed, because she was very friendly and considerate and nice, but the thought of having no one to talk to this week caused a lump in my throat.

The lady, who introduced herself as Emily Kruger, helped me with my suitcase as we walked towards her house. "I hope you don't mind that we haven't prepared the guest room yet," she chattered. "We weren't really expecting you, you know? We only heard this afternoon that Ronald got in the hospital, oh poor boy, and we didn't have time to get everything right for your arrival."

"It's okay," I muttered shyly. I didn't talk much because I was a little insecure about my English, but I guess it was fine because Emily talked my share as well. We approached a whitewashed house with a green front door, which Emily pushed open with her hip after she turned the key. The hallway was narrow, but nicely decorated and it made me feel a little more at home.

As I bent down to take off my shoes, like I was used to do after entering someone's house, Emily called for someone upstairs. When I looked up again, my shoes in my hand, I met the most beautiful pair of teal eyes I had ever seen. I swear I'm not exaggerating, they were truly beautiful. He opened his mouth and I thought he was going to enchant me with his voice. And he did, even though he only said one word. "Hey."

"H-hey," I stuttered in my terrible English and I wished I could just sink through the ground there and then. _God, he must think I'm a lunatic with my bad pronunciation._

"Mark, can you lead [l/n] to the guest room please?"

"Sure thing," 'Mark' said before he moved his head as a sign for me to follow him. "Come on."

"Eh, y-yeah." With my suitcase in my left hand and my shoes in my right, I followed him up the stairs.

"Here, let me take that." Before I even realized he had said something to me, I felt how he took my suitcase from my hand and carried it to the room. His fingers briefly brushed past mine as he took the hinge from me and I swore I would've fallen off the stairs if I hadn't held on to the railing. We both safely reached the first floor and he pointed towards the second white door from the right. "That's our guest room, so I guess that's where you'll stay this week."

"Arigatou," I muttered as he placed the suitcase on my bed, and when he shot me a questioning glance, I corrected myself. "I mean thank you."

"No problem. My room is right next to this one, so if you need anything, be sure to knock on my door or bang the walls or something. I'll notice right away." He winked and that tiny eye movement lit up his whole face like angels were shining on it with sunrays. He looked so beautiful and sexy...

"A-ah..." _There's no way I'm knocking on his door!_ was the thought that ran through my head. I didn't want to look stupid in front of him!

"Seriously, don't worry about looking stupid. It's your first time in this house, so it's logical that you don't know everything yet." I gave him a look that said 'what-the-heck-boy-are-you-psychic?!', to which he just laughed. "You are quite easy to read, if you don't mind me saying that."

"No, I don't mind," I said while looking down.

"Twelve."

"What?"

"Nothing, I'm just counting how many words you said to me. You're not really talkative, are you?"

"Actually I am... back home in... Japan. But my English... is not very good," I felt my cheeks becoming warmer. Such a simple sentence; why couldn't I just pronounce it like a normal person? I knew this wasn't just my fault, a lot of people from Japan dealt with pronunciation problems, but I just felt so ashamed!

"That's okay! The more you talk, the better it'll get, right? Don't be afraid to make mistakes, just learn from them."

"But won't I make a fool out of myself when I make a mistake?" My mother always told me that it was better to do nothing and avoid being criticized than to taste the humiliation of failure.

But all that Mark did was laugh and put a hand on my shoulder. "Possibly, but that's what makes this trip so much fun, right? First lesson about America, it doesn't matter if you fail. Sometimes, being incorrect is natural." His lips formed such a sweet smile and I really wanted to lean in and experience what they felt like against mine. _What on earth is wrong with me?! I barely know him!_ I felt his hands travel down my arms until he reached my hands, which he gave a little squeeze before he let go. "Dinner's probably ready in ten minutes or so, so you can unpack a little if you want."

I nodded and turned towards my suitcase, happy to have something to do for my hands because they started fidgeting ever since Mark had let go of them.

"By the way." When I looked up, I noticed he was still in the room. He walked back to his former place, right in front of me, and extended his arm. "I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Mark Kruger."

"I'm [l/n] [f/n], but you can call me [f/n]." _Where did that come from?! Everybody calls me [l/n], except for my parents and my brother!_ I blushed slightly from my comment, but it didn't seem like Mark got the point, because he said:

"[f/n]? Do many people call you by your last name?"

Now it was my turn to be confused. "They do, but that was my first name."

"What?"

"[f/n] is my first name, [l/n] is my surname."

"But you said [l/n] before [f/n]."

"Yes."

"What's the point of a first name when you don't mention it first? Like, before you last name? Come on, the order is even in the words!"

I laughed at his indignation, feeling more at ease already. "That's just how we do it in Japan," I said, to which he shook his head with a lost expression on his face. Then he gave me a wave of his hand and walked to the door. At the door, he turned around once more and smiled at me.

"You see now, [f/n], that you won't make a fool out of yourself as soon as you stop worrying about making a fool out of yourself?"

Then he was gone. And that was a good thing, because I really didn't want him to see the blushing face I had that moment!

* * *

><p><strong>Tuesday<strong>

"Great job, [f/n]. Really, wonderful job!" I muttered to myself. I was cantankerous, alright. Each student in our class had to do a quest in the city, so that we could get used to the public transport here. And I managed to get lost. According to my description, I had to see a park as soon as I exited the subway station, but I only saw buildings. Buildings as tall as the sky. Not a tree in sight.

I sighed deep, bending once again over my map. What had I done wrong? I had to meet up with the others in that park. How would I do that when I couldn't find it? I looked around for someone I could ask for directions, but I only saw fast-pacing businessmen and I was slightly frightened to ask them...

"[f/n]?"

I turned around and I thought I could cry. "Mark, I'm glad I ran into you," I said as I approached him. "I'm completely lost, can you help me get to... this place?" I pointed at my map, seeing as I couldn't remember the name of the park and even if I could, I probably wouldn't pronounce it right.

He chuckled. "Lost on your first day already?"

"I'm not good with directions," I admitted as I shuffled my right foot. If that wasn't enough prove that I didn't really feel at ease, then the slight blush on my cheeks must have been!

I felt how his hand ruffled through my hair, making it even more messy than the wind did. Glaring a bit, I covered my head with my hands to stop him, and my palms rested on his hand for a bit. Then he pulled back, still smiling sweetly at me. "Don't worry about it, I'll take you there. When do you have to meet up with them?"

"Ehm, in twenty-five minutes," I said after checking my watch.

"Well, the subway doesn't leave for ten minutes, so how about we get something to drink first?" Before I could say as much as 'okay', his hand enveloped mine and he gently pulled me along. We both ordered an iced coffee, seeing as it was rather hot outside, and Mark stopped me when I pulled my wallet out of my handbag. "My treat," he whispered and then he winked at me, causing yet another wave of heat to rush to my cheeks.

And ten minutes later, we stood in the subway wagon. Both of us holding on to a railing, both of us holding an iced drink in hand, neither of us saying a word. It seemed like I exited the subway too early, that was what I had done wrong. Mark simply smiled when I said that and told me not to mention it. It turned out that he just got back from school and luckily, he had to take the subway to get home, otherwise I wouldn't have run into him.

To my big surprise, Mark exited the subway at the same stop as I did. When I told him that I was fine from here on, he insisted to make sure that I reached my group safely. I rolled my eyes at him - I wasn't a child! - but I was secretly happy with his company. After climbed the stairs and exited the subway, a flood of people suddenly passed by us. I got a little disoriented by the sudden fidget, seeing as I wasn't used to great crowds, but Mark placed his hands on my shoulders and guided me out-of-the-way.

I quickly found my group when we entered the park and before I walked towards them, I turned around to thank Mark. It was only then that I noticed that his hand were still on my shoulders, though he pulled them away as soon as I turned. "Thank you, Mark, you really helped me out there!"

"No problem." He patted my head, winked at me and walked back to the subway. I lingered there for a few moments, staring at his back as he disappeared in the enormous crowd. He walked through all those people in such a natural, graceful way that it made me jealous. If I walked through crowds, I often end up bumping into every living and not-living thing in the area.

As I reached the group, practically all the girls bombarded me with questions about Mark. If I knew his name, why he had held my shoulders and patted my head and more like those. After I explained that I lived at his house for the week, someone sighed dreamily. "I wish my host family had a son this handsome."

And that moment, I really wanted to shove my iced coffee in her face and announce proudly that he had bought it for me, but I refrained myself. Mark was just being polite when he bought that for me, it didn't anything.

Right?

* * *

><p><strong>Wednesday<strong>

"Yes, mom, I love you too... Yes, I'll make the assignments... Yes, yea- yes... uhuh... yeah... okay... Yeah, bye mom! Say 'hi' to dad and Yukou for me!" As a heavy sigh flew over my lips, I pulled my phone away from my ear and pressed the button to end the call.

It was the third day of my five-day trip to America and I just finished a call with my mother. I told her what had happened these past days and she told me what had happened at home. It wasn't really a big deal, but this phone call had drained my last bit of energy.

Today was the busiest day so far and we had done nothing but walking from one place to another. My feet burned and I laid with my back on the soft mattress, feeling very tired. I could just close my eyes and g-

"Wow, going to sleep already?" I looked up and found Mark grinning at me from my doorway.

"I'm dead tired," I said, ignoring my protesting muscles as I sat upright. "I walked all day long and I still haven't found something for Yukou."

"Yukou? Who is he, you mentioned him in you call as well, didn't you."

"He's my brother... Wait, did you eavesdrop on me?"

He smiled guiltily, which I found actually really cute. "Sorry," he said shamefully. "I didn't understand much of what you said, if that makes you feel any better. I just got curious because your voice sounded... different. From when you speak English, I mean."

"Different?"

"Yeah... just different." I actually wanted to ask him if he meant that in a positive or a negative way, but I decided to let it slide. I shouldn't make a fuss about such a small detail, should I?

"Anyway, I told him that I would bring him a souvenir, but I still haven't found anything nice. And tomorrow's my last chance!"

"What are you looking for, then?" Mark inquired as he sat down next to me on the bed.

"I don't know, something soccer-related. Yukou simply loves that sport. Not just Japan's national team, but also from other countries. America's... Pegasus, I believe? He loves that one too."

"Unicorn, you mean."

"What?"

"America's national team is called 'Unicorn', not 'Pegasus'."

"A-at least I got the mystical-horse-part right," I defended myself, looking at my other side. For the umpteenth time when I was around him, I blushed furiously.

"I can help you, you know," Mark offered and I shot him a confused glance, not understanding what he was getting at. "I can take you to Unicorn's training tomorrow, so you can bring a ball with all the players' signatures for your brother."

My mouth fell open at his words, but then I realized that he was probably joking with me. "Yeah right, and why would those players, who represent the whole nation, sign a ball for a Japanese girl who doesn't know the slightest bit about soccer?"

"They will if I ask them nicely," Mark smiled confidently.

"Why?"

"Because I'm their captain."

I didn't manage to say something for a whole minute, but then I stuttered: "Yeah sure, and I'm the queen of England."

"It's true," he said. "I'll take you to them tomorrow, okay?"

"You're not messing with me?"

"I swear it's the truth."

Feeling rather intimidated at this sudden revelation, I stammered: "Oh, well... Thank you for helping me, then."

"It's my pleasure, Your Majesty," he said and bowed before he stuck his tongue out and left the room. "Good night."

"Good night."

I quickly changed into my night-gown, brushed my teeth and covered myself with the blankets. Then I spent at least thirty minutes, staring at the ceiling. I didn't try to deceive myself anymore: I had a serious crush on an American boy that I only knew for three days. And not just any American boy, but a boy who played soccer on the national level, who represented his country in the world tournament and who had millions of fangirls.

The thought that there were so many girls like me, who wanted him to smile at them or talk to them, made me feel small. And what is more, it made me feel quite pathetic. I wasn't better than any of those girls, I was just one in a million... And that perfectly described how my chances with Mark were even lower than zero.

* * *

><p><strong>Thursday<strong>

Mark picked me up after my class' activities were over, and we walked together in silence. "Please wait a moment, I need to drop something off at the post office," he told me and I patiently waited for him to return. It was strange, but ever since I had convinced myself that I had no chance with him, I was calmer when he was around. I tried to enjoy our time together to the fullest extend, seeing as it would end tomorrow and then I probably wouldn't see him ever again.

When Mark came back, we walked further. Again, silence enveloped us, but it wasn't an awkward silence. It was pleasant to walk alongside him without the need to blurt out every thought that was on your mind.

A lot happened that afternoon. We met the players of America's national team (well, the other players, since I had already met Mark) and Mark even forced me to play soccer! After he and his teammates signed a ball for my brother, he wouldn't hand it to me unless I played with him. I told him again that I didn't know how to play, but he told me that he would teach me and no matter what I said, I couldn't talk myself out of this.

So we played together and as expected, I was terrible. But despite that, I had a lot of fun this afternoon. _Maybe I should kick a ball with Yukou every now and then,_ I thought as Mark and I walked home. "[f/n]?"

"Yes?" I looked at his face, but he looked away from me. It could just be my imagination or the orange light of the setting sun, but for a moment I thought to see him blush. Then the meaning of that thought penetrated me and I mentally giggled. _Mark? Blushing? Yeah, definitely my imagination._

"Nothing," he muttered. I thought his behaviour was a little strange, but maybe he was just tired from practice (even though he hardly got any practice with me as his partner)?

* * *

><p><strong>Friday<strong>

"So..." I started awkwardly, turning around to the people behind me. "Thank you so much for everything and I'm sorry for the trouble I caused for you." I bowed deeply to show my gratitude, which the Krugers must have found amusing, because I heard a slight chuckle.

"I'll walk you to the group," Mark offered and he took my suitcase in his hand. Thanking his parents once more, I hurriedly followed him outside until we walked next to each other. We were both silent again, but it was different this time. I was used to a relaxed silence, but this one was tensed. I guess I was the one to blame for that.

Despite knowing that I had no chances with him, I wanted to stay. I didn't want to leave. I didn't want this to be the last time I saw him. I wanted to grab his hand to stop us both from walking further. I wanted to look him in the eye and tell him about my feelings for him.

I wanted to feel his lips against mine...

But I didn't do any of it, and we soon reached the others. The bus was already there and te teachers were loading our suitcases. After he handed my suitcase to one of the teachers, Mark and I stood opposite each other. "I g-guess this is goodbye, huh?" I said eventually, glancing up at his face.

"Yeah, I guess..." he muttered. The teachers soon signalled us to get into the bus and I turned around, but stopped once I felt a hand on my shoulder. His hand. "[f/n], wait..."

"What is it?" I asked, turning back to him.

"I, eh... I-I..." He closed his eyes for a second and took a deep gulp of air, before he looked at me and smiled: "I wanted to wish you a safe trip."

My chest sank and I let out the breath that I didn't notice I was holding. What was I expecting? A declaration of his love for me? I smiled shakily at him as I walked backwards to the entrance of the bus. "Thank you, Mark. For everything and..." Swallowing the lump in my throat, I croaked one more word before I croaked one more word: "Goodbye."

I entered the bus and sat down at a window seat, making sure that no one sat down next to me. I told everyone that I had a headache and the left me alone most of the time. And during all those hours in the bus and later in the plane, I fought the hardest battle of my life.

The battle to keep my tears back.

* * *

><p><strong>Monday<strong>

I stared at the envelope in my hand. My address was written on it in a neat handwriting. My name.

My father had handed me this letter after I got home from school, jokingly telling me that the American authorities finally found me. The envelope was indeed sent in America, and the thought of that made me think about Mark. I wondered what he would be doing now... After I went to my room, I sat down at my desk and opened the letter. My eyes widened as I read it and I felt my cheeks getting warmer.

_Dear [f/n],_

_If you're reading this and don't know what it is about, that means that I have failed. Only a few days ago, I told you that it didn't matter if one fails, that being incorrect sometimes equals being natural. But despite that, I couldn't tell you face to face what I am telling you with this letter._

_[f/n], I think I love you..._

For three whole minutes, I could only stare at those five words. 'I think I love you.' After I made completely sure that the words were real and that they didn't change after I looked away, I read further.

_I understand if this is too fast for you, but please don't turn away from me after my bold words. If you want to give it time, then I'll wait. I'll wait as long as I have to._  
><em>All I ask of you is an answer, even if it's a negative one. I included my mailing address with this letter and I hope that you will at least reply to me once. If you don't want to talk to me, please tell me and I won't bother you again. But then I know at least that I tried it.<br>Awaiting your reply._

_Yours truly,_

_Mark Kruger_

I read the letter over and over and over and over, but none of the words changed. Then I sat there at my desk, staring at the letter with a goofy grin for at least fifteen minutes. I know that my grin threatened to cut my face in half, but I couldn't stop. I stood up and jumped up and down to let go of the adrenalin that rushed through my veins.

But then I suddenly stopped as a realisation struck me like lightning. I didn't say anything, for one, two, thr-

"MOM! DO WE HAVE ANY WRITING PAPER?!"

* * *

><p><strong>Me: O.o The heck was that?! Wow, this was sooooooo random! Another completely random thing: <strong>Has everyone ever noticed how convenient it was that Earth Eleven only consisted of Japanese players? I mean, every other creature in the entire GALAXY was speaking friggin' Japanese! Wouldn't it have been more realistic if they got a device that translated every galactic language into Japanese? That would've made much more sense.<strong>**

**Mark: ... Are you done now?**

**Me: Yes, I am.**

**Mark: Good. Thank you for voting for me, Shoujiki Shouji and Hinano Kinsuke! *winks* I really appreciate it.**

**Me: Please leave a review, minna-san! Oh yeah, Asashin Ojo-san, you requested Manabe-kun, didn't you? I'm sorry, but I'm completely stuck on his story right now. I will definitely do him, but I first need to figure the plotline out and such. I hope you understand *bows***


	19. Kidou Yuuto

**Me: I'M BACK, PEOPLE! DID YOU MISS ME? AOA**

***cricket noises***

**Me: ... Oh, well... Okay! Anyway, here's the next chapter of My Other Half. I will be off on another journey to Italy soon, because it seems like I left my writing skills there... (in other words, it's crappy as hell /.\).**

**.yojnE .nevelE amuzanI nwo t'nod I**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Kidou Yuuto ~ Be yourself<strong>_

* * *

><p>Some people like to put labels on things. My grandma is an example; she always makes her own jam and puts labels on the glass pots to show the flavour of the food inside. But labeling things like pots, bottles and boxes is normal. However, some people love labeling so much that they even put labels on other people. Boys who love boys are labeled as 'gay', youths who like to hang at the streets are labeled as 'hooligans' and people who are interested in manga and anime are called 'otakus'. There are hundreds of these labels, but I don't like using them. No matter what religion you have, no matter who you love, we are all humans, right?<p>

However, if I were to put a label on myself it would be 'Tomboy'. I am a girl - fourteen years and counting - but some people told me I act like a boy. At the time I shrugged at that and went on with my own business. I don't know why, but I am just not like those girls who like to wear frilly dresses and spend hours to shop for clothes and shoes.

And that was why I didn't understand why Aki, Natsumi and Haruna dragged me with them to the shopping centre. They had intercepted me when I exited the classroom and told the team that I would be absent for practice today for a 'very confidential and important reason'. Boy was I pissed when I found out that this 'important reason' was that they wanted to buy dresses for the school dance that was this Friday.

We already spent more than an hour walking from one shop to another. Natsumi and Aki had already found and bought a dress of their liking, but Haruna was still doubting and she took _forever_ to change into a new one. As soon as we entered a shop, I plumped at an available chair of couch and waited for them to finish. I wished I had a soccer ball with me, so I could just wait for them outside and kick it around a little.

I heard the sound of a curtain being shoved aside and I forced my mouth into a smile, only to have it fall open at the sight. Haruna was wearing a dark blue dress that was just a little darker than her hair. The skirt-part reached to her knees and there were these two straps that ran over her shoulder and also these beads-thingies that formed a pattern and... Okay, I know nothing about dresses, nor how to describe them, but take it from me that she looked gorgeous.

"It suits you so well!" Aki exclaimed and she clapped enthusiastically to underline her words.

Natsumi held a more dignified pose and nodded contentedly. "It looks really beautiful, Otonashi-san."

"I don't know," Haruna hesitated and she looked down as she stroke the fabric with her right hand.

"You look stunning, Haruna-san," I smiled and when she looked up, she returned that smile. This must have been my only positive comment this afternoon and luckily, this was the final push she needed because she changed back to her school uniform and bought the dress. I couldn't help but feel happy when we exited the store, feeling relieved now that this was over. Soccer practice was already over, but perhaps I could play a little by myself before dinner. "Well, I for one am glad that this is over," I sighed as I stretched my arms. Then I noticed that they didn't walk next to me anymore, so I turned around to find them a couple of feet behind me, staring at me like I was an idiot. "What?"

"[l/n]-senpai, of course we're not done yet." Haruna giggled. "We still need to find a dress for you."

A d-dress... for me? Oh no! No, no, no, no! Njet, nee, nein, non, njiente, nej, NO! I don't wear dresses, they're not my style. As I mentioned before, I'm the girl who prefers track suits and baggy sweaters over skirts and dresses. The girl who rather spends her afternoon playing soccer in the rain and dirt than in shopping centers and department stores. I had worn skirts before - they're a part of my school uniform after all -, but rarely did I wear a dress. I didn't like wearing one: they made me feel fragile and caged and just not like myself.

"I-I really need to go home now," I stuttered as I turned around, but Aki and Haruna already clung onto my shoulders and pleadingly said my name before I had taken two steps. I glanced over my shoulder at Natsumi, who stood there with closed eyes and a knowing smile around her lips. It was clear that she didn't plan on moving; I shouldn't expect any help from her. "But I don't like dresses," I protested weakly.

"I won't allow you to disgrace our school by not wearing a dress at the school dance," Natsumi dictated sternly before she smiled again. "Think of these as the words of the chairman if you like." I grumbled that she was misusing her authority, but she ignored me and the managers dragged me to yet another store, regardless of my complaints.

I decided to put up with them giving me one dress after another, hoping that it would all be over soon. We spent another _hour and a half_ at the shopping district before they finally approved of a dress for me - strangely enough, my opinion didn't matter at all. I bought the dreaded garment and glared at the plastic bag on my way home.

* * *

><p>My teammates gave me strange looks the next day, but didn't question my sudden absence of the day before. The days passed quickly and it was Friday in the blink of an eye. I agreed with Aki's proposal to change for the dance at my house, since that was the closest to our school. I had hoped that the dress would be enough to satisfy them, but when I finally wore the garment, the real war began: make-up.<p>

I let them have it their way with the parfume and lip gloss, but I drew the line when they wanted to give me smokey eyes. They kept on pushing, but I eventually brushed them off by saying that I was sensitive to one of the ingredients of the eyeshadow. It went like that the entire time: they wanted me to be their make-up doll, while I just wanted to be myself. We eventually made a compromise and moved on to my hair. I wanted to put it in my usual ponytail, but Haruna insisted that I should do something else with it. She twisted and twirled and pulled my [h/c] strands, after which she pinned them down with a few hair slides.

As I sat on my bed while trying not to touch my hair or face and make it messy again, I waited for the others to finish their own preparations. When I was like this, I really felt like some dignified, fancy girl and I couldn't decide whether that was a good or a bad thing.

"[l/n]-san, what are these?" Natsumi's voice pulled me away from my thoughts and I looked up to saw her pointing at the lowest shelf in my closet.

"Uhm, shoes?"

"Don't you have party shoes?" When I shrugged, she sighed in a you-really-are-hopeless way. "Well, you are lucky that I was prepared for this. I'll lend you a pair of my own, be grateful."

"Arigatou," I muttered, but then I saw what shoes she picked for me. "Oh no, I'm not wearing those tonight! I'll go without shoes if I have to!" In front of me stood a pair of mat black heels. True, the heels weren't really high, but since I had never walked on heels before, I was sure this wouldn't end well.

"You can't," Aki said. "You have to wear shoes."

"Besides, Onii-chan will like these too," Haruna chuckled.

"What does Kidou-kun have to do with this?"

"Just wear the shoes, [l/n]-san."

"I won't. You can't force me!"

.

They forced me. With a sour expression on my face, I walked alongside Haruna and behind Aki and Natsumi. My hand was constantly on Haruna's shoulder to steady myself when I lost balance, which happened quite often. Damned shoes! Maybe I could flush them through the toilet once I was inside the school building?

It was chilly and I shuddered when a cold breeze stroke past my bare shoulder. I wanted to wear my jacket, but the managers practically forbid me to wear, and I quote, 'such an informal thing' to the school dance. The same wind that made my dress swoon around my legs and caused goosebumps to rise on my flesh, also brought us two familiar voices that I immediately recognised: Endou and Gouenji. When we got closer to them, I saw that Kidou was also with them, although he didn't join in the conversation. They waited for us when they noticed us and admired us for a few seconds after we joined them.

Kidou first let his gaze slide over his younger sister and then he looked at me. All three guys looked extremely well in their tuxedos, but Kidou looked a little more different than the others. I couldn't place my finger on it, until I looked him in the eye and realized that I could actually see his crimson irises. "You're not wearing your goggles," I pointed out.

His eyes shifted to his younger sister for a moment before he smiled and calmly replied: "You're wearing a dress."

"Long story." I shot a glare at the managers, who innocently looked the other way.

Kidou chuckled, probably because he understood my glare. "Let's go."

"Right." The others were already walking away and we formed the rear of the group. I cast an unsure look at the black things that enveloped my feet, wobbling already even when I was standing in one place. "Eh, do you mind if I..." I placed my hand on his shoulder and looked at him questioningly, but he signalled it was okay. We walked like that until we reached the school and he helped me with the small steps in front of the entrance.

As soon as we got inside the gym where the dance was, I earned many looks from my teammates, especially from the juniors. Shourin and Kabeyama commented on how pretty I looked and even though I knew it was a compliment, my mood worsened. These were my teammates, they never talked to me like this or gave me these looks before...

I stood at the side and I wasn't planning on dancing with these shoes. Some who didn't like to dance either, kept me company and I used them as my mainstay, much to their own amusement and annoyance.

I entertained myself by watching people and my eyes drifted through the room, until they landed on two very familiar siblings. It seemed like Kidou and Haruna were engaged in a heated conversation and I chuckled softly to myself. It was good for the team that Kidou had transferred to Raimon, but it also meant that Haruna got restricted in her personal life, especially when it came to boys. _Kidou-kun is probably forbidding her to dance with boys,_ I mentally chuckled. There was only one odd thing to that theory: it seemed more like Haruna was lecturing her brother than vice versa.

I was so deeply lost in thought that I didn't notice Kidou approaching me until he stood in front of me. "Oh." I blinked. "Eh, hey."

"Hey." For a moment he seemed at a loss for words, but then he extended his hand, gulped and smiled. "Do you... want to dance?"

I blinked again. "I can barely walk on these shoes and you want me to dance?"

"What's the point of going to a school dance if you don't dance?"

As I sought for words to form my reply, someone snickered behind me. It was Someoka, who followed our conversation along with Kazemaru. "He's right, [f/n]-chan~," they teased, "you gotta have fun." _This is why I don't like dresses. They never called me '[f/n]-chan' before._

"Let's put you two in a dress and on high heels," I scowled. "See how much fun you have!" I wanted to say more, but Kidou had grabbed my hand and gently pulled me to the dancing mass, so I needed all my focus to stay upright. I silently prayed to any god that would listen to help me through my next big obstacle: dancing on these shoes.

It seemed like the gods liked me. Or hated me. Or both. Whichever one it was, it was the reason that the music changed to a slow number as soon as we reached the dance floor. I fidgeted a little with the fingers of my free hand and turned to Kidou, about to ask him if we should get back to the side and wait for another number. The words got stuck in my throat, however, when I noticed his other extended hand, which reached for my free hand to pull me closer.

"Do you mind if I..." He didn't finish his question and let the words hang between us. I wanted to tell him: 'Yes, I do' and walk back to the side, but my voice didn't cooperate. To my own surprise, I got closer to him and placed my hand in his. His other hand was now resting on my waist, keeping me close to his body. We gently moved from side to side, both feeling a little unsure about our movements. Then Kidou suddenly leaned in and whispered something in my ear. "I think the managers are playing matchmaker for us."

I almost lost my balance when I heard those words, but Kidou kept me upright. "What do you mean?" I whispered loudly, a red hue now tinting my cheeks.

He smirked at me in the way I know so well - he always smirks like that when he finds a flaw in the opponent's tactics. It looked familiar, but strange at the same time because his eyes weren't covered by the goggles. "Haruna told me this afternoon that I should look at my best because, and I quote, '[f/n]-chan will definitely like you better then'. I'm guessing they also had a hand in your outfit and Haruna just practically threatened me into asking you to dance. As for the song, I think that's Natsumi-san's doing." I let his words sink in and glanced at the three girls he mentioned, only to find them standing together with happy smiles on their faces. It suddenly all made sense now: Haruna's comment about Kidou, the dress, the make-up, everything!

"You know what? I think you're right. But why would they ever think of such a ridiculous thing?"

Kidou didn't answer and we danced a little in silence, which I labeled as 'awkward' now that I knew the meaning behind it (what, I don't like labeling, but that doesn't mean I don't do it). He cleared his throat. "Hey, eh..." I glanced up to meet his eyes, but he looked to the side. "Do you really think that they're mistaken? That putting you and me together... is ridiculous?"

I increased the distance between us a little and scowled at him. "Are you asking if I like you, Kidou-kun?" He shrugged and turned his eyes back at me.

"Just a thought," he assured and I tried to look inside myself to find an answer to his question. I couldn't deny that I felt at ease around Kidou, but that applied for most of my teammates. It was true that I had spent some time with the game maker besides school and soccer; it was true that I liked it when we walked home together, but... Well, I wasn't a love expert, so I wouldn't know if this was friendship or romance. I never thought much about what I felt, I just acted upon my senses. I liked to be around him, that was all.

But what if it was indeed more than friendship? How would I ever know such a thing? "Can I try something?" I asked softly. "If you don't want to, you can push me away, okay?" Kidou nodded and I leaned closer to him, pressing my lips briefly against his. During the short moment, I tried to focus on what I felt.

My shoes pinched my feet and I already felt a blister on my heel. My dress was really tight and stuck to my sweaty skin, making me feel like I wore a wet swimsuit. My hair felt like an annoying toddler was pulling on it and my lips disgustingly stuck to Kidou's because of the lip gloss. I tried to ignore all this and waited for the spark that I always imagined I would feel when I kissed the one I love.

I didn't feel it.

Or should I say, I didn't _really_ feel it. My heart did beat a little faster than usual, but this wasn't the feeling I had imagined to feel when I kissed the one I loved. _I guess it's only friendship I feel for him then,_ I mentally shrugged. I pulled back and looked at him, still not fully used to his blood-red eyes, which were scanning me intensely. They weren't ugly, just... unfamiliar tome. But because I could see his eyes, I saw my own conclusion reflected in them: this wasn't it, whatever 'it' was.

* * *

><p>I ran with the ball at my feet, feeling happy every time the black and white orb touched my feet, right before I softly kicked it forward so I could take it with me as I ran. I dribbled up and down the field at the riverbank and dodged imaginary opponents. It was warm and muggy, but the sky was already covered in dark clouds. It didn't take a genius to know that there would be a thunderstorm later today.<p>

I ran and played and played and ran, enjoying the loose fabric of my soccer uniform around my limbs. Oh, what a difference this was with yesterday evening. The dress and shoes that I wore back then were uncomfortably tight and the latter hurt with every movement. I had only been there for an hour before I went home. Kidou and I agreed that we would act like nothing had happened. That wasn't all that hard, really, because nothing _had_ happened. It would have been different if I had felt anything when we kissed, but there was nothing. Just my lips that touched his for a second, nothing more and nothing less.

And it felt so refreshing to wear my soccer uniform again. Unlike the dress from yesterday, it made me feel like myself.

"Do you mind if I join you?" I heard someone ask. I hadn't noticed him before, but I recognised his voice from the first word he said. With a careless smile on my lips, which wavered just a little when I caught sight of him, I turned around.

"If you think you can keep up with me."

Kidou smirked and that smirk told me that he accepted my challenge. I was glad that he showed up here. It was Saturday, the day after the school dance and the most awkward situation of my life. I hadn't wanted to think about it, but I still had wondered a little about seeing Kidou again. I knew what we agreed upon, but a part of me doubted if we could keep that up. To play with him today, with no one else around, was nice. There was no awkwardness at all between us, luckily. When we took a little break - I let him drink from my bottle because Raimon's genius game-maker had forgotten to bring one with him - I studied his face discretely. From the way he acted, it seemed like he had actually forgotten all that happened yesterday. But he wasn't just anybody: he was Kidou Yuuto, a professional at keeping his poker face. I was quite sure yesterday's events also bothered him, he just didn't show that to the world.

"What are you looking at?"

I blushed a bit and I felt how my face heated up. _Busted!_ "Eh, nothing really, I was just thinking..." My voice trailed away, but Kidou didn't seem satisfied yet.

"What were you thinking about then?"

"Why are you asking so many questions?"

"Because you're evading them!" He watched me for a few seconds and then smirked knowingly. The light got reflected in the glasses of his goggles, but not much, because the clouds were really dark and the sun was nowhere to be seen. "You were thinking about yesterday evening, weren't you?"

"N-not per se." I looked down as he chuckled softly. "I was thinking that you are yourself again, too."

"Yes, I'm glad I can wear my goggles and cape again. It feels weird without them."

"Super-Kidou to the rescue," I whispered. That was an old joke between us, which I first said when we walked home one time. He chuckled softly and we were silent for a while as we both thought about our own thoughts. "But it surprises me that you missed your goggles. Isn't it uncomfortable to wear them all the time?" I asked as I leaned back and rested my hands in the grass.

He made a sound that sounded like a chuckle, but he had also brought his fist to his mouth, so it could also be cough. "My view is limited," he said, "but I'm used to that and I can see much more details with this."

"I see." I withdrew my arms from the grassy slope and placed them behind my head as I laid on my back. I craned my neck a bit and saw that he was staring at me with a gentle smile on his lips. "Well, I think I prefer them too. This is the Kidou-kun I know."

"And I take it you're glad that you are out of that dress?"

"I am never going to touch that thing again," I nodded resolutely and he chuckled again, the same way he chuckled ever since he joined me for practice this afternoon.

"You know that you looked pretty in it, don't you?"

"I know... But it wasn't nice. I felt... I don't know..."

"Like you weren't yourself?"

"Exactly."

"I felt the same, like I had to pretend to be someone I wasn't. Frustrating."

"And tiring," I amplified.

"And tiring," he repeated while he nodded.

The silence that followed got eventually interrupted again, but by neither Kidou nor me. We both looked up after at the sky after we heard the distant rumble: the thunderstorm that I had predicted earlier finally started.

"Maybe we should take cover somewhere," Kidou muttered after the world went white for a second because of the lightning.

"1... 2... 3... 4..."

"[l/n]?"

"Shh, 7... 8... 9... 10... 11..."

"What are you doing?"

"Shh."

"Seriously," he sighed while I kept on counting.

16... 17... 18... 19... 20... 21-" The thunder interrupted my counting and I stopped to smile at him. "It's about twenty-one kilometers away, so it's safe to play on."

"What do you mean?"

"Light travels faster than sound," I briefly explained. "If you count the time between the lightning bolt and the thunder, you know how far the storm is away."

"Ah, I see." It wasn't strange that he caught on that quickly; he is a star in physics after all. "Aren't you afraid that we'll catch a cold if we play on in the rain?" he pointed out.

I shrugged. "It's only a drizzle now, we can stop when it gets worse. And besides, it is really warm despite the dark clouds. I doubt that we would catch a cold from it."

"You're right." He stood up and dusted his trousers, even though they weren't really dirty. Then he extended his hand to me and I allowed him to pull me up. His hand was calloused, which was yet another indicator of how hard he worked to obtain his goals. Usually one would think that the owner of calloused hands is rough himself, but Kidou was incredibly gentle with me when he pulled me up.

We walked down the slope and picked up where we left off. Now if there is one thing I learned about drizzle, it is that it can certainly soak you in no time. After only five minutes, water dripped from the dreads in Kidou's tail and my ponytail. Another five minutes later, our clothes were drenched too. Small streams of water dripped down our arms as time passed and the downpour got heavier.

After about twenty minutes, Kidou placed his hand on my arm to grab my attention and asked: "How about we take cover now?" I smiled sheepishly and nodded, after which we walked towards the bridge together. I sat down but Kidou stood with his back against the wall, watching the raindrops. I used my finger to draw patterns in the dirt on my lower legs. The rain had turned the field into a quagmire and we weren't the cleanest anymore after playing there. I first drew a flower, then a sun and then my own name as I tried not to shiver. I didn't mind it when I was moving around, but now that I sat still, my soaked clothes felt cold.

"Here." Kidou sat down next to me and placed a part of his blue cape over my shoulders. It was also wet, but it still provided warmth and I gladly accepted it. The thing was that I had to sit very close to him and that was really awkward because of yesterday evening. I managed to shrug that feeling off eventually and stared at the lighting in the distance, like Kidou did.

"Are you thinking about yesterday?" I asked without looking away from the scenery.

"How did you know?"

"Because I'm thinking about that too. The whole situation was so bizar that I can't forget it."

"Bizar?"

"You know..." I took a moment to find the right words before I continued. "I felt like I was a different girl. And it was like I saw you for the first time, too, because you look different without those goggles." I sighed. "And then that kiss. I don't know, but isn't this love stuff supposed to happen spontanuously?"

"Hmm," he mused. "Hey, [l/n]?"

"Yes?" I turned my face towards him, but I couldn't be prepared for what happened next. Kidou put his hand on my cheek and pressed his lips on mine. I only had time for a startled gasp before my body froze from shock, including my lungs. The hand that held the cape in place let go and ended up in my lap, and the cape fell from my shoulder, but I barely noticed. I looked at his eyes, but I only saw the reflection of my own wide ones in the glasses of his goggles. _What is he thinking? I don't... understand..._

The sound of the raindrops that hit the ground became distant, until it completely faded away and I only heard my own heartbeat. I closed my eyes because that seemed like the right thing to do and I only opened them when I didn't feel his lips anymore. It lasted longer than yesterday's kiss, or was that just my imagination?

"What..." I breathed, but I didn't know how to finish my question. 'What are you doing?' 'what are you thinking?' and many more floated through my mind, but they didn't cover what I wanted to know.

"A boy kissed a girl yesterday," he replied, also blushing quite vigurously. "But they weren't you and me, not really. I thought about what you said and wondered if it might be... different this time."

"And?" I asked.

It had been different for me, that's for sure. I guess Kidou was right, the ones who kissed yesterday weren't us. I felt a lot more this time: my heart beat so loudly it could damage my ribs, I could barely breath and my intestines were having a dance party, or so it seemed. Yesterday's kiss had only uncovered a fraction of these feelings, an experience so faint that it seemed like something from a dream. This was real, this was amazing... this was 'it'.

But was it the same for him? Unlike yesterday, I couldn't see his eyes now. All I saw was the reflection of my own in his goggles, and I was afraid that that wasn't what he had felt. But he only smiled a little and whispered two words: "It was."

I smiled as well and not long after, we were kissing again. And this time I didn't only feel the butterflies, I felt an entire zoo inside of me. Behind my closed eyelids, I also saw the famous 'fireworks' you see during a kiss, and I heard them too. Or perhaps those were just the thunder and lightning that surrounded us.

Either way, I didn't really care about that. Not now.

* * *

><p><strong>Me: O.o *continuously bangs head against the table* No comment...<strong>


	20. Tsurugi Yuuichi

**Me: This is really long again (seriously, longer than Tenma's!) and may be a little confusing, but you'll just have to find out yourself. ****I don't own anything, I rent it all (wut?)**

**Tsurugi: She lost it... *clears throat* Anyway, it's nii-san's time, so I hope you enjoy, minna-san!**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Tsurugi Yuuichi ~ Did I know you?<strong>_

* * *

><p><em>"I-Isamu-kun? Yuuka-chan?"<em>

_"[f/n]-chan!"_

_"Shit, [f/n]! This isn't what it looks like!"_

_"I... I need to go."_

_"[f/n], wait up!"_

_"[f/n]-chan, please listen, we can explain!"_

_"[f/n], you have to li- Watch out!"_

_..._

_"Oh my god... Is she..."_

_"Somebody, call an ambulance!"_

* * *

><p>My head hurt. It felt like someone was using my skull as a drum. There was also a high-pitched beep that kept repeating itself. It didn't start just now, though. It had been there before, I only realized its sound now. I tried to match the pace of the drumming in my head to the pace of the beeps, but the rhythms were too different.<p>

Other sounds started to penetrate me: footsteps, beeps, a pen that scribbled some words down and soft voices. I tried to recognize the words, I clung onto them as they floated through the darkness around me. But it didn't work. The words escaped from my hands as if they were water and they left me alone again. I tried to call out for someone in the darkness, but my voice didn't cooperate. All I could do was stay in one place. Motionless. Mute. Blind.

I don't know how long I stayed there, following random thoughts and sounds that I didn't understand. The darkness never faded, but it didn't bore me. Not that I was particularly happy or sad or angry or excited in there, I just didn't feel anything.

_I wonder if this is how a statue feels._

Deformed words echoed through the darkness and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't recognize them. I thought I heard my name, though. Was it mom or dad? Or one of my friends? Maybe it was Yuuka-chan, the only other girl on the soccer team I was in. I was a midfielder and she was a forward, just like her brother, Gouenji Shuuya. We had stuck together when we both joined as first-years and soon became best friends. When we became second-years, we were inseparable._ I remember how happy we were when we won the Football Frontier Semi-Finals this year and promised each other to... to win..._

_Oh my goodness, the finals! What day is it? Please don't tell me I missed the finals, I can't have that!_

I shot up. My lungs filled themselves with air. Everything hurt. A bright light blinded me and I squinted my eyes. Where was I? Pain thrusted itself through the daze of the painkillers. I nearly collapsed when it felt like someone used my chest as a voodoo doll. I felt things that stuck to my body: tape, wires, needles. The beeps became more frequent and when I tugged at one of the wires, there was some kind of car alarm. Footsteps hurried towards me and panicky voices penetrated me.

"She's awake!" someone called.

"Please call for the doctor ASAP!" yelled another.

Then I saw the silhouette of a person entering the room, but the light was too bright to make out any details. The person gently yet firmly pushed me back into the blankets and after I made clear that I wouldn't struggle anymore - my adrenalin rush had disappeared - she moved away and dimmed the lights in the room. Immediately the throbbing in my head lessened.

"My, my," the person, who I now identified as a nurse, said with a relieved smile on her lips. "You certainly had us worried. I'm glad to see that you're awake now."

I tried to reply, but the only sound I produced was a muffled gurgling. I tried it again, with the same reply. As my hands reached for my mouth, I felt a plastic tube that entered my mouth and ran through my throat.

"Does the breathing tube bother you? I'll take it out for you." the nurse neared me and I felt her fingers hold my face. "This feels a little strange. I'll pull on the count of three. One, two, three!" I felt like my intestines left my body through my throat and I coughed and gagged once the tube was out of my body. "Good job, [f/n]-san. Do you want a glass of water?"

I wordlessly nodded and gently gulped down the liquid that was offered me. It soothed my dry throat and tasted better than any drink I had ever drunk before. As I emptied the glass, a female doctor came in and she took out a clipboard and a pen before she walked up to me. "Hello there, [f/n]-san," she smiled. "It's good to see you like this again. I'm going to ask you a few questions now, okay?" I nodded.

"How are you feeling?"

"Headache," I murmured. I tried to focus on the rest of my body, but my limps felt a little numb.

"You've had a car accident, [f/n]-san, that's why you are here."

"Car accident?" The words seemed strange, unreal.

"Yes. Witnesses claim that you crossed the road without looking and got shoveled by a car. Your legs took quite a blow, but they aren't severely damaged. You did break four ribs though, and your head collided with the front window, which is why you can be dizzy, confused and nauseous in the next days. Tell me, are you feeling dizzy now?"

"No, not dizzy." I spoke slowly, but that was probably from the intoxication they gave me during the time I was out. The doctor scribbled my answers down.

"We have kept you in a coma for two weeks to allow your body some rest, and there are some people who would like to see you. Visiting hours are from ten until eleven in the morning and from three until six in the afternoon." I glanced at the clock and learned that I still had one hour until the first visiting hour started. "They will come by to see you then, okay?"

I nodded and she walked away, only to turn back to me when I spoke up again. "The finals," I groaned.

"What are you talking about, [f/n]-san?"

"The Football Frontier finals, I can play in them, right?"

A frown crept over her face as she walked back to the bed, picked up the clipboard and the pen and stared intensely at me. If I wasn't so tired I would probably feel uncomfortable under her gaze. "[f/n]-san, how old are you now?"

"Fourteen." I frowned, frustrated that this woman evaded my question.

She sighed and scribbled something on the clipboard before she put it away, sat down on the edge of my bed and took my hand in hers. Her actions confused me, this wasn't how doctors were supposed to act, was it? According to the movies I had seen at least. She stared deeply in my eyes and I stared back, trying to find the meaning behind all of this. And then she spoke.

"[f/n]-san, you are nineteen years old now."

* * *

><p><em>"You are nineteen years old now. Nineteen years old. Nineteen years old."<em>

Two weeks had passed since I woke up from my coma-like state and the words still sounded strange in my ears. The only visitors that the nurses had allowed at first were my parents, because they wanted to give me some time to take everything in. And there was _a lot_ to take in... Yuuka-chan visited me late in the second week, when I had adjusted a little to my strange, new reality. When she first entered my room, I hadn't recognised her. Her hair was pink instead of fawn and the neat school uniform made her look more mature. I only realized that it was Yuuka after she started talking: at least her voice and her way of speaking hadn't changed.

My parents had already told me about the life I had led these past five years. This year had been the first in which I went to college to become a nurse. I was nearing the end of my freshman year, which meant that I had been an intern in a hospital for a few months already.

Yuuka had told me new things, things that neither my parents nor the nurses knew. The first thing was that I had a boyfriend ever since college started, Kurou Isamu. Between sobs and apologies, Yuuka told me that this guy had been cheating on me for four months... with her. She cried and cried when she told me that I had entered the apartment and found the two of them making out on the night of the accident. I had been under a lot of stress that day and seeing them together was the final straw that broke the camel's back. I had run out of there - crying, feeling confused - and had crossed a nearby road without looking. That was when the car hit me.

I let it all sink in as I watched her. I guess I should feel angry that my best friend stole my boyfriend from me and lied to me about it, but... I didn't know the guy at all. I only knew what Yuuka had told me about him. To be honest, it felt more like she told me about her own boyfriend than about mine... So that is how I eventually responded to it.

The look on her face was priceless when I told her to be happy with that guy. I guess she really hadn't expected me to react that way, but how could I respond differently? Again, I didn't know that guy and the story Yuuka just told me was exactly that: a story. This may be just my nonchalant nature, but I was happy that Yuuka had found someone she liked so much that she was willing to lie to me about it.

The second thing she told me - and the far more shocking one, according to me - was that I didn't play soccer anymore. Her words sounded so unrealistic that I needed to hear them thrice before I believed them, and even then it seemed strange: I had quit soccer. The finals that I didn't remember, when we were both second-years in middle school, was the last time I played. Our opponents had played extraordinarily rough and, according to Yuuka, liked to see us in pain. She said that I had grown scared of soccer after the many attacks and blows I had taken in the match. "You stopped playing and focussed solely on your studies," she told me. "I tried to talk you into playing again, but you always brushed me off. For as far as I know, you never touched a soccer ball again."

.

Even now I couldn't understand how that could have happened. If it wasn't for the stinging pain in my chest, I would've grabbed a soccer ball right now and played outside. How had I ever grown to dislike soccer?

The nurse from the first day came in and she asked me a few questions regarding how I felt, allowing me to think about something else for a while. "Since your condition is stable now," she chattered while she watered the bouquet that my mother had brought me, "we will move you to a different room, okay?"

I nodded and was glad when she started moving the bed instead of motioning for me to get out. Moving around, even shifting in bed, still hurt an awful lot and even breathing was painful. But there was nothing I could do except rest and take my painkillers on the right times.

As I entered my new room, I inhaled sharply - and winced afterwards because of the pain. This wasn't a one-person room, like I had expected, but a room with enough space for two beds. And the other bed was already occupied. By a boy! And not just any boy, but a quite handsome one at that. He had spiky navy-blue hair and a soft expression on his face when he looked up from the television to look at me. "Konnichiwa," he smiled and I returned the greeting, though a little more timid. At first I thought he was old, but then I reminded myself that he was probably just as old as I was.

The boy kept on staring at the television screen beside him as the nurse put the bed in its rightful place. Since his television was on his right side and I was on his left side, I had a perfect chance to observe the boy. He looked pale in his hospital clothes and now that he turned his head to the other side, I saw the mole that was under the left side of his mouth. I couldn't really see his eyes, but he wore a caring smile that made his whole face seem soft. I noticed how he pulled up the left corner of his mouth, making his smile widen so that I could see part of his pearly white teeth. I shifted my gaze from his face to the little screen next to him. I couldn't see it very well, but it seemed like there was a soccer match going on. The score board showed a result of 3-2 for Raimon, the school I had once attended too. Seeing the group of teens celebrate their victory made me feel a little nostalgic.

"[l/n]-san?" He had to call my name three times before I finally snapped out of my self-pity and looked up into his warm brown eyes. He smiled again, this time directed at me instead of the screen.

"Yes, that's me," I said, unsure what he wanted me to say. And how did he know my name? I hadn't told him, had I? Maybe the nurse did? "Who are you?"

"My name is Tsurugi Yuuichi, but you can call me Yuuichi."

The silence lasted. "Well, erm... Nice to meet you, then," I eventually said.

"Yes, same here."

"What were you watching?" I asked as my eyes shifted back to the little screen that now showed an advertisement for toothpaste. Yuuichi followed my gaze and switched the little device off. "Was that the Football Frontier Tournament?" My voice sounded more hopeful than I expected. _Gosh, I must have sounded just like a little child to him. What would he think of me now?_ The next moment I wondered to myself why it bothered me what this boy thought of me. After all, he was just a stranger.

"Yes and no," Yuuichi answered. "It's the same tournament, but it's not called FF anymore. This match was the preliminary finals of the Holy Road tournament."

"Holy... Road?"

"Yes. They changed the name four years ago."

"Is that so?" It was strange that such a minor change, such an unimportant detail, effected me almost as much as the news that I had a boyfriend. It surely was a strange world that I woke up in.

"They won."

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

Yuuichi pointed at the screen, which was now pitch-black. "The match was Raimon versus Teikoku. Raimon won."

I smiled broadly to show my glee. "Please imagine that I punch the air right now. Doing the actual thing will hurt a little too much."

Yuuichi laughed merrily. "You are very funny, [l/n]-sens-" He cut himself off with a few coughs. "I'm sorry, my throat is a little dry," he said after he had recovered. Then he squinted his eyes and his smile dropped a little. "May I ask why you are here?"

"They say I had a car accident, but I don't remember that. In fact, I don't remember anything from the past five years."

"Ah, so that is why you mistook the Holy Road Tournament for the FF?"

"I guess..." I shifted uncomfortably and winced afterwards from the pain in my chest. "And you? Why are you in here?"

"I had an accident six years ago and I haven't been able to walk since then. I am here to rehabilitate, though the only way I'll be able to walk again is a surgery."

"That's terrible," I breathed with wide eyes, but Yuuichi laughed softly and gestured that it was okay.

"I'm used to it, don't worry."

* * *

><p>The next day was the day when I met Yuuichi's younger brother, Tsurugi Kyousuke. Come to think of it, our first meeting was a little weird, but I shrugged it off because I was still a little drowsy from the medication they gave me just before visiting hours.<p>

There was a knock on the door, making both Yuuichi and me look up. Before either of us said something, the door slid open and a teenage boy entered the room with closed eyes and a confident demeanour. He definitely looked like Yuuichi and I immediately assumed that they were brothers.

"Kyousuke," Yuuichi said in a happy tone, making 'Kyousuke's' eyes snap open. The gentle smile on his face froze, however, as soon as he caught sight of my bed. He turned to me, probably to politely greet me, but stopped in his tracks once he saw me. His mouth and eyes were wide open and he looked as if he saw a ghost.

"[l/-"

"Kyousuke, I would like to introduce you to my new roommate, [l/n] [f/n]-san," Yuuichi said, interrupting him before he could finish his sentence. "[l/n]-san, this is my brother, Kyousuke."

"Nice to meet you, Tsurugi-kun. Can I call you that?" He didn't answer, so I frowned a little. "Tsurugi-kun? Are you alright?"

He snapped out of his daze and tried to form a whole sentence. "A-ah. Nice to meet you too, [l/n]-san."

"The weather sure is nice today," Yuuichi smiled while looking out of the window. "How about we go to the garden, Kyousuke?"

"S-sure," Tsurugi said, giving me one last inquiring glance before he helped his brother in the wheelchair. I took my book from the nightstand and started to read as the brothers left the room. As the doors slid close, I heard the younger brother whisper frantically: "Nii-san, why is she-" Then the doors fully closed and the rest of his sentence got cut off.

I tried to focus on my book, but it was no use. After I read the same line five times and still didn't know what it said, I placed it back on the nightstand with a small sigh. I didn't feel like playing with my phone either, and since I wasn't by far well enough to leave my bed, I could do little more than stare at the ceiling. I eyed the breathing machine next to my bed. Because I had multiple rib fractures, they wanted me to stay in this hospital to monitor my respiratory function and I had to use that breathing machine during the night.

I looked back at the ceiling and sighed again. Things were boring here now that I was alone. And quiet. Really quiet. I hadn't noticed it before, but even when Yuuichi and I didn't talk, I was aware of his presence. Now that he was gone, it almost felt like something was missing, like the room wasn't complete. I closed my eyes and tried to think of something to distract myself from the boredom lingering in the room. The only thought that came was: _I hope Yuuichi-san returns soon._

And I wasn't sure if that was solely to fight off the boredom.

* * *

><p>The days passed and I got used to the daily routine. Sometimes my parents, relatives or Yuuka-chan visited me, but they never came as frequent as Yuuichi's brother, who entered our room every afternoon. I didn't see him every time, though, because of course Yuuichi and I weren't together all day long. He spent a lot of hours in the rehabilitation area, while I was mostly bound to my bed.<p>

Days turned into weeks and I gradually got a little better. A week before my birthday - my TWENTIETH birthday! - I received a special corset from my nurse. It would stabilize my core but it wouldn't put much pressure on my painful ribs, or so she told me. By this time I could already walk around the hallways a little and the corset made that less painful.

Yuuichi and I had gotten closer in the past weeks, although there was still much we didn't know about each other. We were now both on first-name basis and often hung out with each other if we had the time for it. Those times became my favorite moments of the day. I didn't really know why, but I simply loved spending time with him. He was kind, good-looking and he had a good sense of humor. Laughing still hurt a little, but I didn't mind it as long as he was the one who made me laugh. We would spend entire afternoons in the hospital garden, watching the children of visitors play soccer and talk about said sport. Yuuichi filled me in on the things that I didn't remember and I loved listening to his calm voice or seeing the sparkle in his brown eyes when he told me about the soccer he loved so much. We watched every single one of Raimon's matches in the Holy Road tournament together, cheering loudly whenever they made a goal. There was only one television in our room and Yuuichi had moved it to the foot of his bed so that we could both sit with our backs against his pillow.

During the second half of the last match we watched, Yuuichi loosely laid his arm around my back. My skin tingled wherever he touched the fabric of my hospital clothing and it suddenly became much harder to focus on the little screen. I shifted slightly, but he noticed my movements and gave me an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..," he started as he moved his arm away from my waist.

My body reacted on its own and my hand grabbed his, keeping it in place. "Don't..." I cleared my throat, which had suddenly become very dry. "Don't worry about it..." It was almost as soft as a whisper, but Yuuichi still heard it. He smiled and my cheeks, that were already pretty red ever since he placed his hand there, reached a new level of redness. We watched the match again and after a few minutes filled with nothing of hesitance and pondering, I slowly laid my head on his shoulder. I wasn't misinterpreting things, was I? He wouldn't reject me and shove me aside, right?

He didn't. Instead, he rested his own head on mine as neither of us tore our eyes away from the small television with the match that didn't seem as important as before. I enjoyed Yuuichi's warmth and his strong yet careful hold of me. It made me feel safe.

.

On the morning of my birthday, the first one I saw after I woke up was Yuuichi, as usual. "Good morning," he yawned and sat upright. Then he flashed me that beautiful, gentle smile of his and it was like the sun rose inside the room. "And happy birthday, [f/n]."

"Thank you," I replied, mirroring his actions. My bare feet touched the cold ground, something I always did to wake myself up. I was still half asleep, but there was something odd about the situation and I couldn't shake the feeling off. I thought about it for a few minutes as Yuuichi climbed into his wheelchair, and then it hit me. "How did you know that today is my birthday?" For as far as I could remember, I hadn't told him anything like that.

Yuuichi stiffened for a second, but then he relaxed and smiled again. "One of the nurses told me once."

_Is it normal for them to tell those things to everybody? _I thought and frowned, but that disappeared when Yuuichi rolled towards me. After all, it wasn't like my birthday was a state secret, right? Maybe Yuuichi had asked them and they told him because we were obviously very close to each other since that match we watched together. We hadn't acted differently from usual after the final whistle sounded: we just let go of each other and talked about something else. No awkward silences or nervous smiles, just our usual atmosphere. Because of this, I wasn't entirely sure what Yuuichi thought about 'us', but I hoped he thought a little more of it than friendship. Just like I did.

"Here you go." Yuuichi was now in front of me and in his lap laid a small, flat, dark-blue box with a see-through silver bow. He took it and handed it to me, and our hands brushed past each other for a moment. "It's not big, but I hope you like it."

"You didn't have to do that," I protested, but I still took the box with a smile. Just the knowledge that he had bothered to get me a present made me feel warm inside my chest. I carefully untied the ribbon and then tied it around my wrist as if it were a bracelet, something I used to do when I was little. Yuuichi smiled lovingly at my actions, but didn't say anything.

Then I opened the box and I saw a small silver necklace with a charm in the shape of a soccer ball. "It's beautiful."

"Show me how it looks on you," Yuuichi suggested as he reached for the ornament in the box. I allowed him to take it and carefully bent forward to inflict as little pain on my chest as I could. I felt his arms loosely around my head as tied the necklace around my neck. After he fidgeted a little with the clasp, he leaned backwards and gently draped my hair over my shoulders. "Beautiful," he smiled, making me blush slightly.

He kept looking at me until I broke the silence by nervously clearing my throat. "Ehm, i-if you haven't made plans already... Would you like to go with me to the garden?"

"I would love to," was his reply.

My parents would visit me in the afternoon, so I had nothing else to do for a couple of hours. The prospect of spending this time with the boy who made my heart race seemed like an even greater gift than the necklace he gave me. But then again, that was also a great gift, partly because it was from him.

.

About fifteen minutes later, Yuuichi and I were enjoying the morning sun in the hospital garden. We sat at our personal spot: a bench that had a view on a group of carefully pruned bushes. If I leaned to my right side, I could see the fountain near the hospital entrance. Yuuichi still sat in his wheelchair, which he had placed right next to me. Without saying a word, we looked at our surroundings, both deeply lost in thought. I liked to come here and let my thoughts wander around. Yuuichi and I always talked here about the most random or deep things, whatever crossed our minds. This was our 'philosophic bench', as we called it.

"Hey Yuuichi?"

"Hmm?"

"If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? With the exception of your legs," I quickly said. "Just something about your looks or so."

"Where does this come from?" Yuuichi chuckled.

"Just curious," I shrugged. "I sometimes think like that. What would it be like if my hair or eyes had a different colour, if my skin was smoother... Just what it would be like if I was a little prettier."

"You are pretty," he said firmly. Then he continued in a lighter tone: "I didn't know you had so little self-confidence, [f/n]."

"Not often, but sometimes," I said, still staring off in the distance. "I had a boyfriend, you know? During the time that I don't remember. He cheated on me. I thought I didn't care about him, as I didn't remember him at all, but sometimes I wonder why he did that."

"Kurou Isamu was an idiot to let go of a girl like you," Yuuichi said with a frown. "He had the best he could ever get, yet he didn't see it."

I blushed and stiffened at the same time. A puzzle piece fell into place. "I never told you."

"[f/n]?"

"I never told you," I repeated, a little louder this time. "I never told you his name." I remembered when I met Yuuichi, how he knew my name without me telling him. I remembered how he knew I favoured Raimon, how his brother seemed to recognise me, how he knew my birthday... I remembered all the moments from the past weeks, all the small hints that I had overlooked. How had I ever missed all that? "Yuuichi... Did I know you?"

Yuuichi turned his head away from me for the first time since I met him - or for as far as I could remember. Even though his actions were enough to answer my question, he softly muttered an answer after a few seconds. Just one simple word.

"Yes."

My mouth fell open and I blinked rapidly to keep myself from crying. I had known Yuuichi before the accident, he had lied to me all this time! It felt like a stab in my chest, that's how much his betrayal hurt me. I trusted him... "H-how did I know you?"

He sighed. "You know that you studied nursing, right? You were halfway your first year, so you became an intern. Here, in this hospital. I often saw you, and at some day we started talking." He looked up to meet my eyes. "I wasn't lying when I said that a nurse told me all those things about you, [f/n]." He sighed and looked forward again. "We talked more often after you were assigned to my ward, and I grew to like you more and more. I looked forward to the times you came to check on me, almost as much as I look forward to Kyousuke's visits. You were always cheerful and talked about normal things. Your school, your friends, your boyfriend... That's how I know all those things, because you told me."

At some point during his story, I had lost the fight with my tears and they were now celebrating their victory on my cheeks. "Why did you lie to me?" My voice was hoarse. "You could have told me I knew you."

Yuuichi shook his head, still looking seriously at the ground. "It wouldn't have been the same," he said. "You would have acted differently towards me. You would have shut me out because I know things about you that you don't and that scares you. Or at least, that is how I would feel if I lost five years of my memory."

He placed his hand on mine and I got torn by two impulses. My first one was to pull my hand back, stand up and walk away. He had lied to me after all. But my second impulse was to intertwine my fingers with his. Even though he had lied to me, I couldn't stay angry at him. Not when he comforted me like this, not when I forgot all about the pain in my body at the mere sight of his smile.

"I'm sorry for being so selfish," Yuuichi whispered as he leaned a little closer. "I just didn't want to lose you completely."

I looked in his eyes - while also leaning closer - and saw that he meant it. He hadn't kept the truth from me because of a joke or something, that was clear. He cared about me, a lot. The distance between our faces, especially our lips, decreased gradually. I was a little hesitant to continue, not knowing if this was what I really wanted. There was so much to take in this morning and I didn't even know anymore what I did and didn't want. But eventually I just surrendered to my feelings, closed my eyes and pressed my lips against his.

The kiss was soft and gentle, just like the Tsurugi Yuuichi I've come to know. I opened my mouth slightly when his tongue pressed against my lips and soon we were caught up in a passionate yet gentle liplock. I would unravel my tangled feelings later, now I just wanted to do what felt right. I didn't know how long we kissed, but I didn't care either.

Once we broke apart and resumed staring around - both slightly flustered and out of breath - it occured to me that perhaps I would never regain my memory. Perhaps I would never remember these five years. Ever since I knew of my amnesia, that thought had scared me a little. After all, what would become of me if I didn't remember anything from high school? Or college?

But now it wasn't as scary anymore. Now I had Yuuichi, and soccer of course. I smiled at the trees opposite me.

_Soccer and Yuuichi, that's enough for me._

* * *

><p><strong>Me: My fingers hurt .\**

**Yuuichi: That's what you get from typing such a long story, Att-chan.**

**Me: I know... It's just that I started and couldn't stop anymore... I hope people care to read through to the end. If you don't, then here's a summary (also to take away any confusion): You were a nineteen-year-old nursing student with a boyfriend. You got a car accident after finding him making out with your best friend, Gouenji Yuuka and because of that accident, you don't remember anything from the past five years. Your internship was in the hospital where Yuuichi is staying and he fell in love with you. After you got admitted in the same hospital, Yuuichi didn't want to scare you away, so he acted like he had never seen you before. Now you found out, and then you kissed (sorry if the last part was sappy, I can't get that right :()**

**Yuuichi: Would you care to leave a review? :D **


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